Split Personalitys Snake X Otacon YaoiHet
by Angstreunion
Summary: YAOI: This is a Epic Psychological Story involving the powerful feelings that can develop & the physical,social & psychological effects. it deals with love,expectations,hurt,denial and mind games & Otacons love for Snake-Rated M due 2 graphic encounters.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: ALL Metal Gear and Characters, and places from the games are Copyright Konami. **

**THEY OWN EVERYTHING! - I only borrow the names for this Non-Profit Making, BADLY written Story. Written purely for fun in my spare time. **

**All Characters are kept true to their character, behavior and vocabularies From the Games, Only Bending To Storyline.**

* * *

**Split Personalitys - Chapter I**

There was a familiar face in the Entries department welcoming the passengers from a flight from Alaska.

"DAVE!" Otacon shouted.

Right away Snake scanned the crowds until he saw Hals smiling face.

They walked up and made their familiar multi-hit handshake ending in a manly hug, Hal was distracted by Dave's strong Cologne.

The end of the hug was signaled by Snakes friendly taps on Hals back as they then head for the outside of the building.

Hal had asked Snake to fly back to visit him over finalizing some more plans over the direction of Philanthropy, he valued Snakes input and had just plainly missed him.

"Wow! I, I don't know where to start! There's only so much you can sort out over the phone,in E-mails and on web-cam..." Otacon shyly said while stumbling on his words.

"Hey, I hope Meryl's taking care of you..." Hal mumbled with a tinge of jealously.

"Actually, I - I'm sort of glad we are having a time out, because, we're having some problems..." Snake said quietly in his distinctive breathy throated voice.

Hal had developed strong feelings for snake during Shadow Moses, but he dismissed them and likened his situation to that of a Schoolgirl crush for a Head Teacher.

It was bad enough he couldn't look at Dave without feeling that flush in his cheeks. He dare not say anything, fearing ridicule and maybe even violence at Snakes hand.

Meryl had beaten him to it - or was it just because Dave was a Heterosexual. Hal felt himself ridiculed by nature and confused. He had never really ventured much into the arena of love and certainly never envisaged himself feeling such powerful feelings for another man.

"What kind of problems..?" Hal questioned.

"Well, we've been arguing and...-" Snake cautiously continued.

"Nothing goin' on in the bedroom..?" Hal cut in.

Snake raised one eyebrow, turned and stared at Otacon while lighting his cigarette.

"I'm sorry, that was out of place...I shouldn't have..." Otacon started to stutter while picking up verbal speed.

"Well, not for the past three weeks at least." Snake said quietly while releasing a plume of smoke from his lungs.

"Yea, I heard from Mei Ling about the four times a day thing. I guess Her and Meryl are pretty close to talk about all that girls stuff..." Hal mentioned casually, and then suddenly cut off when he noticed the look of open mouthed horror on Snakes face that these things had been discussed.

Hal mentally kicked himself for always managing to say the wrong thing...

"Look, actually there is something I feel I have to mention. I've heard things are a little worse than you're letting on. I've heard you have depression and have been drinking very heavily..." Hal turned to snake to try and look him in the eye. Snake purposely averted his stare.

Snake replied to the sky "I drink to kill the pain the depression causes, and the drink makes me depressed..."

"Why do you feel like this..?" Hal said sympathetically.

"...Meryl." Snake almost whispered.

"Come on...-" Hal announced cheerily while patting Snake on the back

"We need coffee!...on me." Hal said cheerfully.

"Ahhhh, I've booked us twin rooms for the Philanthropy Convention over this weekend and all the plans are right here!" Hal tapped his Laptop carry bag as they walked towards the hotel lobby with an adjoining cafe bar and grill.

They started to go over proposals for the direction of the Philanthropy group over strong coffee.

Otacon kept dipping into his satchel for more notepads with words and pictures scrawled on it then started to look around for a pen.

"Do you have a pen on you Dave?" he asked.

"Sure, I should..." Snake replied as he unzipped one of his carry-alls.

The carry-all made all kinds of clinking sounds. Hal reached over and pulled open the rest of the zip to find bottles of whiskey and vodka.

"There must be sixteen bottles in here easy?!" Hal exclaimed with a saddened voice.

"So?" Snake returned with no verbal emotion.

"Were you just going to drink here too?? What the heck is going on between you and Meryl?!...I don't want you drinking here!" he asked trying to keep his voice down.

"What Military rank are you?" Snake snapped at Otacon.

"Errr, none...why?" Otacon's voice broke as he meekly replied.

"Exactly! So I don't take orders from you, GOT IT?!" Snake stared down at Otacon whose eyes were darting across Snakes face.

Snake stood up right away and grabbed his room card key off the table before picking up his bags and leaving to find his room. Otacon sat there bewildered and hurt but decided to go knock on Snakes door in a few hours when he'd slept off his flight.

Otacon glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly ten o' clock, four hours after their heated chat.

He had called Meryl in Alaska to let her know he had arrived safely.

Otacon went to the next door and lifted his hand to knock on the door, through the door he heard a muffed sound of a conversation.

Otacon put his head up against the door to hear clearer.

"Yes, yes...mmmmm...have I been drinking..?...well maybe alittttle...what?...nah, nah don't start that again...I miss you so much...please don't say that.-" Otacon heard Snakes husky guttural voice breathing out his replies in between deep drags of his cigarette.

Otacon couldn't help feeling swoony as he heard Snake having an erratic conversation that seemed to span many emotions. It left him a little confused as to the 'Love/Argue' tone of it, but all he knew was he felt a pang in his chest when he heard the quiet tender words that came out of Snakes mouth which only Meryl heard.

_"Nah I didn't mean that when I said it - (his tone drops) - I love you, you know that.  
__Ple-...please - yes I miss you too.  
Don't cry...please. We can start over - ohh...ok. I'll talk to you tomorrow Meryl - yes, I know..Bye - (Whispers)...Bye..."_

Otacon heard the phone get put down and silently walked over to his door to open and shut it loudly before knocking on snake's room.

He knocked loudly on the door and waited. Snake opened the door and tilted his head at Otacon expecting him to whine about the smoke filled room or the empty bottles on the floor by the bed.

He started choking as the thick smoke got into his chest. "Don't take up smoking, these'll kill you..." Snake said sarcastically as he lit up another.

"David, about earlier..." Otacon stuttered then stopped as he noticed Snake waving his hand around in a 'Nah-Nah-OK' fashion.

The scientist slowly knelt down to his knees, picking up the bottles and emptying the ash trays.

He was totally distracted by Snakes pacing around with no top and combat style trousers. He daze was broken by the sound of Snake stumble against the door frame into the kitchen area. He rushed to support him.

"You really need to lie down; I could get drunk just smelling your breath..." Otacon said in a motherly tone as he took the quarter full bottle away from Snake very gently.

"What does it matter Hal, If I lose Meryl, I don't want to live..." he breathed.

"What are you saying?! One person should never have that much power over another..." Otacon cut in.

"You have everything to live for - you're a legend! Ahhh, an amazing man, a warm friend - and I'm sure Meryl could add a few more things to that!" Hal said while smiling

Otacon sat up on the edge of the bed while Snake was lying down propped up by the head rest.

"You really think so Hal? Snake questioned in his deep yet troubled voice.

"I know so! Everything you do, you do...well...Cool...Even the smoking..." Otacon considered stopping and leaving before he made a fool of himself.

"Even the smoking?" Snake said with a kind of grimace looking up at Otacon with his head lowered.

"Well, you know - yea. I wish I could smoke like that. The way you hold the cigarette up with your lips just parted, the sound you make when you inhale deeply, the sigh you do when you breathe out..." He said while transfixed on Snakes lips.

Otacon's reply was a lot of smoke blown into his face which misted his glasses. He could smell the alcohol on Snakes breath.

"I spoke to Meryl, she's upset, and I feel bad too. We shouldn't part when we argue..." Snake slurred.

"She said she missed me, and it would sure be nice to have her here tonight..." He said in his normal deep tone.

"Yea I spoke to her a few hours ago. She was teary then, I just don't understand, from what I hear you two have blazing rows - she treats you like this, and you crawl back for more...?" Otacon said as he tried to enlighten Snake.

"And you two seem to use sex as some kind of bandage - a salvation for the days injuries..." the hacker said as he stared down at the floor until he noticed that even drunk his best friend seemed fully aroused and quite constricted by the clothes. He could see that Snake was quite a big man.

Snake managed a half smile through the pain of his mounting headache, aching erection and alcoholic freedom from the depression he tried so hard to escape. Hal knew it was now or never to try to explain as he placed a comforting hand on Snakes shoulder.

Otacon looked down and surveyed Snakes Naked top half as he ran his fingers over the old scars and marks that's covered his body as he took the cigarette out of Snakes mouth and placed it in his own for his first drag while he savored the second hand cigarette, though he didn't want to take the deep breaths Snake did or he'd be coughing all night.

Their faces were cementers apart. "You have...amazingly deep green eyes David..." Otacon said as he noticed Snakes eyes were partially open yet without the vigilance he almost always had.

Otacon placed one hand on the side of Snakes face, lent in and their lips touched, slowly at first to which Snake seemed totally unresponsive.

Then before he could move Snake swung one arm over his friends back and pulled him under as Snake rolled on top and started to kiss him deeply.

The programmers mind was screaming silently at the sudden reality of the situation hit him. Something that had only ever existed as a dream was starting to happen.

He could feel a measure of his close friends strength by the weight of his muscular yet lean body on top and the way he held Otacon's arms down, It was obvious how this was going to play out and he loved the pure submission and acceptance of what was going to happen.

Questions raged in Otacon's mind.

_'How can this be...? Is this happening? Is it because he's totally out of it? Isn't he straight? Wasn't he longing for his female lover?'_

He let out a moan as Snake kissed and bit at the side of his neck, knocking his glasses off center as he gripped Otacon's hips and turned him facing away. He was aware of Snakes knees pushing against the sides of his knees spreading his legs out.

Hal turned his head to the side and leaned back hoping for another kiss.

"AHH..." Otacon cried out as he felt a hand on the back of his head force him forward into the pillow while he tried to undo his belt buckle with his freed hand.

The sidebar on his glasses started to cut into the side of his face as he felt his Corduroy trousers fall down his hips.

Otacon was hopelessly aroused but could hardly move, every joint of his body was rendered immobile by the lock hold he was being held in. He started to feel Snake pressing into him and meeting the strong resistance of a unprepared entrance.

"Errrahhhhhh..." Hal started to cry into the pillow as a stinging pain tore up his back.

Snakes alcoholic delirium only made his frustrations worse as he withdrew, spat on his hands, gliding it over himself while pulling Otacon's hips up further into his own until he was bent over Hals back with one hand pressed down on the base of his neck.

Hal scanned the room as he started to feel the impacts of Snake's hips hitting his while building up speed and urgency. He noticed some complimentary thick silicon based shampoo sachets on the table and reached out for it after working his hand free, his struggling movements made Snake release the hold to a certain extent as he started to moan and his head fell forward lost in his own mounting pleasure with his eyes squeezed shut as he carefully kept his hips at a steady rhythmic speed.

With Otacon's hands freed he managed to tear on open the sachet and empty it onto his hands which he managed to reach around and smear all over Snake and as much of his engaged anal canal as he could. The feeling of the cold liquid inside him eased his aching a little and made him delirious, feeling his lover at last able to slide in and out with ease and speed. Otacon could swear he heard music in his head.

As he was shoved back and forth along his lover's shaft, he found the feeling excruciatingly pleasurable and arousing. He had never had sex like this before, and he wanted more.

He had always thought Snake would be an aggressive, assertive lover, though he didn't know how much of this was him and how much was the blood/alcohol level, he longed to see Snake in all his lights and various colors and moods as Meryl did.

Otacon imagined what it must be like to have a slow and passionate lovemaking with a completely sober Snake, Hal was desperate to find out what it must be like.

He thought Meryl was quite a aggressive lover too from what he heard in 'girls talk' even though she's still only a teenager so must have a lot of energy and sexual frustration to burn off. Snake though; being in his late 30s and in optimum physical shape and ability could match anyone he chose.

Hal wondered why Snake didn't touch him anywhere else. He just held onto his hips and bashed away at him, which left him feeling a little used which added to his abandon. All that mattered was right now; Hal was past pain, past pleasure and felt very close to his climax.

He started to go numb as his eyes rolled up and a trickle of blood ran down his glasses. He focused on the rhythmic breathing and groans of the man whose length he could feel every inch of, a man who he wanted to satisfy at all costs, a man he wanted to take care of, a man wanted to be violated by.

"AAAAHHHHHH! Uhhhhhhhhhh! Ohh, yes! ahhh yes...!" Otacon cried out in total abandon to his pleasure as he let out all the air he held out as he felt a powerful orgasm wave through him. Snake could feel the smaller mans canal contract around him in spasms as Otacon's body fell limply to the bed except for where his hips were being held.

Hal felt a warm afterglow, thankful he came first so he wouldn't be left frustrated after if Snake had reached his climax first.

He heard Snakes moans and breathing change and the rhythm to his thrusts increased to a nearly unbearable speed. Hal tried to buffer his partners final burst of strength. He suddenly felt a warmth wash into him from deep within as Snake threw his head back and let out a guttural sound as he reached his climax.

Snake lay down and fell quick into a deep, orgasm induced sleep made swifter by his drunken state. Hal tried to move but his hips were on fire and his body ached from the encounter. He was interested how Snake could be potentially sexually violent if ply-ed with enough drink. He managed to stand but found walking difficult, he hobbled to the top of the bed and lovingly pulled a blanket over Snake and kissed him lovingly on the cheek.

He opened a window slightly, turned off the light and limped back to his room.

**Please Click To CHAPTER II: The Massive Fallout**


	2. Chapter 2

**Split Personality's - CHAPTER II : The massive fallout.**

It was Friday morning and the sun was shining especially bright through the hotel window, eventually the heat woke Otacon up from his deep sleep.

He reached for his glasses on the bed table like he did every morning. As he lent over he felt that pang of pain from deep within him, then suddenly it all came flooding back as he then stared at a bend in the sidebar of his glasses. He reached for his forehead and felt a cut to the side.

He then realized the state he was in. he smelt very musky, a mix of perspiration and Snakes strong Cologne.

Hal sat up and cradled his stomach after a pain shot through his side then made his way for the shower. The hot water against his skin felt wonderful and helped to ease his pains. For him, this opened a new chapter in his life.

He walked into the main room while towel drying his shoulder length hair and checking his phone for messages. Otacon picked out some clothes to wear saving his more formal ware for the convention tomorrow. Otacon pulled his door shut and walked to Snakes door and knocked.

After a moment the door came open so Otacon walked in and looked around. Snake was silently leaning against a wall shaving while looking into a small wall mounted mirror.

Otacon wished he had prepared something to say...something to break Snakes silence.

"Hiya Dave, ahh, have you got some idea of what you want to add to tomorrow's meeting..?" Otacon asked casually.

Snake stopped washing his face for a moment then continued and started to dry his face.

"Hmm...No, not much more then the directional plans I gave you yesterday...my going is basically a formality anyway." he said in his standard matter of fact fashion.

"Ahh, I see..." Hal replied puzzled. "Are you going to do anything today..?" he said while staring at the floor.

"Well, have a look around the city while I'm here, maybe get a few things to take back with me to Alaska..."Snake said as he put some of his items back into his carry all.

"Well...do you need any help?" Hal asked hopefully.

"No. I'm good thanks." Snake replied.

"Why do you want to stay in Alaska?" Hal asked, still transfixed on the floor.

"It's my home. I have everything out there, peace, quiet, fresh air...Meryl and my huskies." came the fast reply.

Otacon's mind started to race as he felt a near physical pain in his chest.

"When will you be coming back this way...?" Hal asked quietly.

"I don't know, I tend to only head back to mainland if something important is going on." Snake said in his low monotone.

Otacon squeezed his eyes shut as if he had been shot through the heart. Then he swallowed hard and took a deep breath...

"David, we need to talk." Otacon asked in the most unemotional and flat way he could.

Snake rolled his eyes and continued packing things into his case.

"Don't do this...don't ignore me...please..." Otacon said finally looking up from the floor and staring at the tall figure before him.

"Uhh? What about..?" Snake asked throwing him a side glance.

"What about, WHAT ABOUT?!" Otacon's voice broke as he spoke. "Last night, that's what!" Otacon sniffed to try and stem a runny nose and his watered eyes which he realized only made him look pathetic.

Snake stood silently staring at him and being visually uncomfortable. "I was very very drunk, I remember flashbacks..I'm a different person when I drink...so I'm told..."

"Very drunk? Well, I was totally sober...One-hundred Percent!" Hal argued.

"Is that a good thing?!" Snake asked in an irritated voice.

"Are you just going to pretend nothing happened?! Then run off and play house with Meryl?! Look, I can barely walk this morning - because of you! I'm covered in bruises and...-" Hal's sobs started to penetrate his words. "-...and, my heart is really aching right now...".

"Your...what?!" Snake said in a shocked tone.

"Is this some kind of tough guy act? Do you know how I've felt about you?" Otacon spat out desperately, pausing for breath before continuing.

"Look! I've seen lots of guys go out and get totally hammered on drink at the weekend. I've also seen them even go looking for casual sex, but I've never seen them jump into bed with another guy!" Otacon said desperately trying not to sound so desperate.

"You must feel something for me?? Maybe you just wanted to try it? Or ahhhhh, maybe you just have abit of a hankering for anal sex. But then, that doesn't make any sense becaus--" Otacon started but was cut off.

"Look...-" Snake cut in, in a deep no-nonsense yet quiet tone. "-...I am Not a homosexual."Snakes eyes were fixed firmly on the floor.

His statement stopped Otacon mid sentence. He stared at Snake with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Whhhhhhat?!" Hal managed to spit out.

"...So,...soooo,..ahhhh, you don't smoke ciggarettes...o-only cigars??...Is that it?! Are you ashamed?!Are you scared of the...Label? - WHY does everything have to be black and white with you!! There are many shades of Grey in between!" Hal was now hurt and irritated but still was trying to stop the flow or tears and indignation.

"Look, I don't know what I am. But I've never felt like I did last night. I've always been a effeminate man, these things always confused me - I just like to think I follow my heart-" Hal swallowed shallowly.

"And, w-what I felt for you, if that makes me gay then - I'm gay. You can't do all you did last night without enjoying it! I'm pretty sure you're not gay Dave, but, but you have GOT to have Bisexual leanings. You did me good last night." Hal held his hand up to the cut on the side of his temple.

Snake turned around to grab his coat off the door and get his cardkey from the table.

"...Ohhh? I wonder what Meryl would call you if she knew...?" Otacon sobbed.

"Ohhhh I was wondering when I was going to hear that..." Snake retorted while pointing in Hals face.

"I didn't mean it like that...-" Otacon tried to grab Snakes arm but he shoved him away on the way out.

Otacon went into this room and sat on his bed with his face in his hands and sobbed over the loss of his best friend and his lover all in one day.

The day of the convention went to plan with Otacon and Snake answering all the questions put to them, but their questions to each other went unanswered.

Otacon had been delayed at the convention by a further 3hours explaining blue-prints and concepts. People made fun of Hals 'Limp' to lighten the tone during the breaks.

Otacon kept scanning the room for Snake, but he was no-where to be seen.

* * *

After the convention, Hal got off the train and headed to the hotel. As he arrived he knocked on the door...but there was no reply.

Hal noticed a cleaner came round with her trolleys of fresh and used laundry and towels; she opened up the door with her all access key.

Hal barged by her and walked into the room, but it was empty.

He felt his heart start pounding in his chest, drowning out the sound of the cleaner asking what he was doing, he found his breathing shallow and difficult.

The room still smelt of Snake and his strong body spray, for which Hal found a near empty can with the last vapors in it in the waste basket which he hastily picked up and put in his PC satchel.

He walked around the room in a state of loss, walking into the Shower room he saw the beads of water on the splash guard and a bath towel in the laundry basket which he folded quickly and added to his bag.

He dashed down the stairs and nearly shouted at the desk attendant "The Man...In 402...where is he?!"

The bewildered attendant stared back at him and said politely "I'm sorry, we can't give customer details away."

Hal spotted the manager who he booked all the convention arrangements with and shouted past the attendant - "Excuse me! Excuse me?! Sir...please please, where is the man that was in 402..."

The manager checked the records "Can I have a name?"

"Dave...David Sears" Hal choked just pronouncing the name.

"Ahh he checked out early, about...three hours ago...to catch a plane." The manager replied.

Hal was emotionally wounded and retreated to his hotel room. as he walked in his Satchel slipped down his shoulders and hit the floor as he slumped down to cry.

Then his phone went off, he tried to stabilize his voice and whispered "Hello..?"

"Hiya Hal! Is Dave there? I wanted to know which flight he's getting out so I can pick him up this end." It was Meryl's cheery voice.

"I...think he took an earlier...flight." Otacon whimpered.

"Hal...are you OK? You sound really upset." She implored.

"I...I'm not feeling quite myself..."he answered.

"Hal...you're crying, what's happened?" She pressed.

"Well...I've just had...a very painful breakup...with a girl who's...-" He tried to add a 'laugh'. "...left me for another man..."

"Whoa...I'm so sorry Hal, that's terrible." Meryl felt really bad and a little surprised he had a girlfriend as everyone thought the same of him that they did for Jack (Raiden).

"Yea, hmmm. I can't face going back to flat just now..." Otacon continued as he saw only one course of action left.

"Hey! Why don't you catch a flight out here and stay with us! I haven't seen you for about five months!" she asked.

"Wow! Can I? You think David would be OK with that?" Otacon knew he would head out a little earlier and keep abit of a tab on Snake before admitting he had arrived.

"Don't be silly of-course he won't mind!! We have a spare room too, so then...get here!" she ordered.

"Sure...Ok. Hey! How are things with you and Dave?" he asked.

"Ohh well, things are...Ok. Anyway I miss him just now and haven't seen him since he left for New York...we...didn't really part on good terms...but, we're trying to give it one more try..." She answered factually yet with a saddened voice.

"One more try?" He said shocked.

"Yea...well...it's a long story." Meryl lowered her tone.

"Well, you can trust me y'know." he said in his characteristic whiney voice.

"Well, We had a massive argument...aaaand, I packed my bags. I was going to leave him, I mean - we're, we're growing apart. He says I don't understand the effects of my actions' and that I act too quickly on impulse when I'm mad..."

"Wow...what happened...?!" he cut in.

"Well, he practically begged me to stay..."

"Now...I really can't imagine that!!" Hal said with a measure of shock. "Well I'll head over there; I've called my works and taken a week off."

"Yay! Okay, see you soon" Meryl said with renewed joy.

Hal agreed and hung the phone up then rushed to his flat to grab some clothes before he headed to the airport to check the next flight to Alaska.

About an hour later he sat in the waiting room at the terminal, the whole weekend's events going through his mind. He was also very puzzled by his conversation with Meryl.

He wanted to know what was going on and had even thought of a way to deal with the situation he had with David.

* * *

In a few Hours he had arrived in Alaska. It was late evening time and he had a local man in the nearest village take him out to the secluded house Snake owned out in nearly the middle of no-where.

He walked around as quietly as he could and looked into the windows.

The reversal of situations did make him smile to himself, now it was him trying to sneak around - which he was plainly no good at.

He looked in and Saw Meryl dressed in a nightdress wrapped up in a thick house robe in the main room in front of a large fireplace which nearly lit the room in its own right. It was a modest but large cabin house and looked very cozy on the inside.

Otacon heard the sound of someone walking around the other side of the house and hid quickly to the side of the window while peering in.

He saw Snake unlock the front door and walk in after a supply run to the main village. Right away there was the sound of excited barking from four Husky dogs all of which fussed around their master as he knelt down grinning while scuffing and patting each one, while they licked the side of his face.

Otacon felt a wave of warmth at seeing his close friend and lover so relaxed and off guard. Snake stood up as Meryl walked in and put her arms around his neck. "I thought I could hear the husky door alarm." Snake put his arms around her waist.

"Well, you'd make a lot of noise too if you were waiting for dinner, anyway we now have enough food for four weeks."

Snake lowered his head to meet Meryl as they kissed. From the window Otacon could feel a wave of nausea rising within him, only matched a feeling of jealously he had never experienced before.

Otacon's mind was screaming in his head.

_'It's disgusting how they eat each others' face - HOW could he do this...?!_'.

Hal had flashes through his mind of Snake kissing him, long, wet and deep, the feeling of his tongue exploring his mouth, even with the taste of smoke and alcohol.

He loved the taste of him pure and simple.

He peered further in to see better, and could see by the door the cases Meryl had packed to leave.

Otacon was starting to feel the icy wind starting to blow and looked all around to see ice capped mountains as far as the eye could see.

Meryl walked into the kitchen holding bags of food. She heard Snake call after her "Meryl, come over here, I want to show you something..."

She glanced over her shoulder and saw him looking into the fire. "What?" she called.

He just waved her over to him with a hand movement though she noticed a bit of a grin on his face, the closest he ever came to a full smile.

Meryl walked over and looked into the fire. "What...?"

"That..." he said in a husky tone.

"What...?" she said while staring hard into the fire. "I can't see anything...?!"

Then suddenly he reached out and grabbed her either side of her stomach. Meryl made a shocked scream as she tried to cover her ticklish spots but it was no use he had got her totally by surprise.

Otacon was not impressed at all from his window vantage, even though he was warmed to see a moment of humor from Snake.

He knew Meryl was a strong-willed and free spirited young woman and from what he had over heard from her 'whispered' chats to Mei ling that if Snake put her in any kind of lock, she would always try to reverse it, even if it meant 'underhanded' tactics like pulling his now nearly shoulder-length hair or lightly hitting or kicking him which she was certain only made him more determined to 'win'.

"I always have to better him! even during sex...I have to come out on top! This little war of wills makes things fun...-" Hal recalled her giggle once.

Yes she was every bit the tomboy, but that seemed to fit Snakes character perfectly. He loved her all the more for her determination.

Otacon also knew that these were the moments that had kept them together even during all the bad times where they argued relentlessly, didn't speak to each other and didn't even sleep in the same bed.

Hal had always been close to Meryl, but now all he could feel was resentment, and wished that their roles could be reversed even if for just one day.

As Hal called back to the village to have his guide pick him up he glanced once more through the window and saw Snake lying down behind Meryl with their hands loosely entwined while she was on her side reading a gun magazine. They soaked up the warmth of the massive fire behind them.

"Ohh, wow! I'd like to shoot with one of these!" She said excitedly.

"Uhh nah. That handle design would cause too much recoil and you would have to reload every six shots." Snake added in a practical tone.

Meryl turned her head around to face Snake behind her and stuck her tongue out at him, then quickly flipped through the pages while Snake buried his head in her neck.

"Ohh, I nearly forgot! Hals finally coming to visit us!" she added casually.

Snake looked up at her with a slight look of concern. "...uhh? Did he say why?"

"Hey! He doesn't need a reason!!" Meryl said sarcastically.

**PLEASE Click To Chapter III : Otacon's great deception. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Split Personalitys - Chapter III : Otacon's big deception.**

Otacon felt he had seen all he needed and headed back to the village with the now familiar ache in his heart.

He then decided that he would have to put into action the only plan left open to him. He was lost and desperate for some kind of acknowledgment from Snake.

* * *

Early afternoon the next day Otacon headed back out for the house ready to pretend he had just arrived.

"HAL!" Meryl opened the door threw her arms around him. "I haven't seen you in person since Shadow Moses island.." she exclaimed.

Otacon put one arm around her and tapped her back. "Dave! Hals here!" Meryl called. "Dave's messing around on that computer again, always looking up some political rubbish." She giggled to Otacon.

Snake walked in slowly and stood still for a moment while staring at Otacon then extended his right arm in the air, Otacon completed their normal multi-hit handshake.

Snake put his arm around Otacon hugging him in a loose friendly fashion as they normally did, though Snake broke away as soon as he could after only tapping him quickly twice on the back.

But to Hal the hug lasted an eternity and he savored every second feeling victorious even in front of Meryl. Hal knew Snake was most likely on to him and wondering exactly what he was trying to do.

"Hal! I've tried to make a bedroom out of the spare room for you..." She said as she grabbed his arm to lead him away through the cabin-house while Snake walked into the other room and sat back down in front of the PC.

"Wow, I think you two need more electric items around here..." Otacon joked.

"This is the living room it's really cozy! And heres the bathroom, just don't try to get in first thing in the morning cause I have to have my morning shower!!" she said as she pointed into the room.

"Heres your room, I'll get some more covers for your bed." She said as she walked into her bedroom to grab covers off the bed.

Otacon followed her in. "Is this your room?" he asked as he scanned the large log room which was dominated by a very large plain metal framed bed covered in large soft fur pieces.

There was a small chest of draws table each side of the massive bed and another large fire built into the wall.

"These fur pillowcases and blankets are soo soft!" Otacon said with surprise as he ran his hands down the covers and pulled back some of the fur blankets to find the mattress cover was brown fur too.

"Yea! That's cause, in case you hadn't noticed Hal it's very cold out here and most times at night it can drop to a extreme sub-zero temperature. With all these you could sleep in here naked and not feel cold! And it warms up as soon as you get in!" She explained.

"Anyway we have tons of covers and fur quilts, so theres loads to go round!" Meryl said as she started adding them to Otacons bed.

He stared at her form while she was bent over tucking the sides in, he really didn't see the attraction.

They went over to the kitchen and Meryl showed him around.

"Heres the fridge, not that you'd think we needed one! Heres the store room and just outside is a kind of cupboard. Dave will insist on going out and necking something then freeze drying it and using...like, everything off it for something or the other...-" she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Its something I've tried to get him out of the habit of, but he has this weird idea about taking and giving back to the land."

Otacon smiled to himself as he thought:_ 'Well, I'm certain he doesn't apply that rule to everything...give and take'_

"He's very into the natural order." Meryl said with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Ohh, really?" Hal replied while staring at the sky. "I guess it's strange as he was not exactly born of the natural order himself."

"Hmmm...yeaaa, but If you want to talk to him about it, make sure your wearing your glasses..." She teased.

As Hal reached out to feel the frozen animal a small medicine bottle feel out his coat.

"You're on antibiotics?"Meryl wondered as she read the bottle. "Have you got a cold or something?

Hal suddenly recalled having put them in his pocket at the doctors he saw just before he left for Alaska:

* * *

"Soo, Mr...Jones. You're here for your results?" The doctor asked.

"hmmmm, uhh-haa." Hal answered nervously knowing it wasn't the best false name in the world.

"Ok, you complained about pains in your side and spotting blood after being sodomized correct?" The doctor asked as he read from the report.

"Err yes." Hal replied.

"Well, the biggest worry is infection from the anal injuries. So we'll put you on two weeks of Antibiotics, painkillers and cream just in case." The doctor said with his head down writing the prescription.

"However, I would strongly recommend you abstain from anal sex until you have completely recovered and I also suggest that in future you prepare yourself and educate your partner."

Otacon stared at the floor redder then he had been during the examination.

* * *

Otacon snapped out of his daydream as Meryl went into the house to make dinner.

He walks into the living room in the cabin-house and saw Snake kneeling in front of the fire putting more wood bits in.

"Do you want me to make you a coffee or something?" Hal says as he kneels down next to Snake.

"No thanks..." He answered after flicking his eyes over to him.

"Why exactly did you come all the way out here?" Snake asked in a low tone.

"Well...-" Hal said as he looked around the room, and then peered out into the kitchen area to check where Meryl was. "-...I've been thinking..."

"You've been thinking? Isn't that your job?" Snake answered sarcastically.

"Well this is a little less then scientific..-" Hal said while pushing his glasses back up.

"Anyway ahhhhhhh, I wanted to square things with you. Because, right now, you treat me like I have some kind of plague, and when I said I was one-hundred percent sober...I lied. I was at the bar for over an hour before I came in to see you..." He waited to gauge Snakes reaction and to see if he believed it.

"...and?"

"Well, and I acted on impulse...ohhh, it's such a mess...-" Hal said while covering his face with one hand. "-...and it's all my fault. then I got all confused and told you a lot of crap, I felt that if I told you I liked you then we could save our friend-ship" Hals Voice wavered as he was trying not to sound whinny

"Well, that was a dis-jointed idea..."Came Snakes husky reply.

He could see Otacon was in a delicate state of mind, though he was highly surprised to hear what he was saying. Snake had anticipated his coming over to confront him.

"Sooooo, I haven't messed everything up?" Otacon said while staring into the fire.

"Well, I'm not exactly blame free myself..."Snake said in a low tone, while looking around the room.

Otacon looked up at Snake right away, his mind was screaming in his head again.

'RESULT!-RESULT!-SUCCESS!!'

"Though, I think you're a bit...-" Snake held his hand up flat and waved it.

Otacon noticed a sudden hint at blame shifting and self protection. He didn't want that to erase all that he had just achieved so he decided to play Snake at 'his own game'.

"...Gay?" Otacon cut in.

"Whatever you want to call it." Snake said look looking at him.

"Hey, I really can't handle my drink y'know! I never drank at college, or university, or with any of the other candidates. They all used to make fun of me. Though like I said, I really don't know, if something feels good - I say go with it..." Otacon answered carefully, He knew a flat denial would prove he was lying and would ruin any chance to getting close to Snake again.

"I mean, they say the feeling is pretty addictive, once you've had it it's hard not to want it again. It's the only time when both pleasure and pain feel so good, after a while it doesn't matter if it hurts. I mean, take Raiden for example, he's a Bisexual so, I guess he gets a little bit of everything hehe..." Otacon smiled.

"No, He's so irritating I'm sure he gets nothing and is just desperate for whatever is present at the time..." Snake grinned.

"Well, it is a totally different thing from being with a female..." Otacon said while turning his other side to the fire due to the heat.

"'Female' - hehe, that's a very generic term. Hey! You had a girlfriend?" Snake asked surprised.

"Yah...once, long ago...it was a disaster, trust me, she was only using me anyway..." he said while staring down.

"Everyone uses everyone else, isn't that the way it goes?" Snake said while making himself more comfortable in front of the fire.

Otacon scanned the room. "You know, I'm surprised it's so hot in here for a cabin-house out in this climate..."

"Well it's all insulated, and theres one of these fires in every room, so as long as your careful this place could always be really hot. Couple that with the natural insulation of being surrounded by all this snow. When it gets real cold, you can bury the back and sides of the house under snow for extra warmth "Snake answered practically.

"And Meryl's adapted well..." Hal noted.

"Well, she's a tough girl..." Snake grinned. "She viewed it as a survival challenge, yeah there are sometimes she wants to go spend time in the city, but she actually likes it here too, and this place is a lot brighter with her here."

"Yeah, a woman's touch ehh?" Hal said with his head cast down trying to look indifferent.

"Well, she seems to be the perfect match for you. I couldn't imagine you with any other kind of female...though, I don't think she's hugely feminine..." Otacon mumbled.

"Nah, shes very feminine, just not openly. I mean, just look in the bathroom! I've never seen so many washes, creams, this and that..."Snake grinned as he shook his head in a comical matter.

"Well, I better go give her a hand with dinner..." Snake said as he got up.

Otacon was left lost in thought for a moment while Snake walked into the kitchen.

"Hey...?!" Otacon heard in Meryl's voice coming from the kitchen followed by the sound of her lightly slapping Snakes hand.

"Hands off the food till it's done!" she said while trying not to laugh.

* * *

Meanwhile after dinner, they all sit in the living room, chatting and catching up.

Meryl got up to get more coffee before she headed off for a shower, Otacon followed her into the kitchen and started to clean the dishes.

"Hey, you don't have to do that...?" Meryl said as she poured out a fresh jug of coffee.

"Ohh! No, no, I want to! And I can't bear the thought of either of you having to do it later." he said as he looked around the room and saw a whole cabinet of alcoholic bottles, mostly vodka and whiskey. He carefully made a mental note of everything.

Meryl walked into the living room holding a large tray with the coffee jug and cups on it.

"Anyway, I'm off for a quick shower now." she said as she patted Snakes shoulder and leant down to kiss him.

Otacon walked back into the living space and sat on a sofa. He got the laptop out of his satchel and turned it on.

"So then Dave, what's the village like around here? Anything going on?" Otacon asked.

"Well, theres not much to see but there are a few places you can go to listen to some music, drink and socialize - if you wanted to." Snake answered while he put down food for his dogs.

"Hehe, so in other words you don't tend to leave the house then..?!" Otacon said with a grin.

After feeding his dogs, Snake went outside to gather more wood while Otacon checked his E-mails while adding more to his research log. His mind was a mess as he tried to plan what exactly he was going to do next.

After about fifteen minutes, Meryl emerged from the bath/shower room toweling off her deep red hair and walked through into her bedroom.

Otacon shut his Laptop and walked over to her room, knocking on her door and walking in after she invited him to come in.

"Ohhh! errr, I'm sorry..." he said embarrassed, as he covered his eyes with a kind of salute.

"Don't be silly! You're the last man on earth I would think would perv me up! And anyway, I'm dressed!" She joked.

Otacon thought she had a funny concept of being 'dressed'.

She was standing up drying her hair wearing a small red bra and some slacks. Otacon noted she had a very slim boyish yet very feminine build with very small breasts and a toned figure.

He couldn't help thinking she looked hungry and was not at all beautiful in the traditional sense, but she was successful in making Snake love her and he was fascinated to find out how and why.

"Your stomachs flatter than mine..." Otacon joked.

"Well I exercise a lot!" she replied.

Otacon sat on the massive bed and ran his hand through all the soft fur. "I hope your right about these beds, I have a feeling I'm going to freeze tonight..." He said as he pushed up his glasses.

"No way! Anyway, I said the same thing when I arrived here!" Meryl said cheerily.

"Hehe, I can imagine." Otacon added as he felt the soft fur against his skin.

"Anyway, where's Dave? He promised me he'd show me how to take apart that generator!" She said as she jumped onto and over the bed, then ran out the room excitedly.

Otacon shook his head while smiling at her impulsiveness, but he realized that though she may be a asset to him in controlling Snake, he was constantly being reminded of everything she had and everything he wanted.

He looked around the room and leant over, pulling open the top draw of one of the bedside tables, he glanced inside then shut it quickly when he heard them walking back.

"Hmm, Its abit late to do all that now..." Snake answered Meryl.

"Ohhh" Meryl answered in a disappointed tone as she tilted her head to give Snake a look of girlish disappointment while pouting and giving him the eye.

"Ok ok, First thing tomorrow" Snake said with his arms up in a kind of hold-up position.

"Now that was a agreement under duress!" Otacon joked as they walked into the bedroom.

"Hey! After the generator thing, I want to go see the village..." Otacon said seizing his chance."Right, Meryl?" he added.

"Right! Then you can take Hal to town." she commanded.

"hhhhmmmm, okay. But there's really not much to see in town around here." Snake said in a husky tone while stretching his last syllable, as he often did.

Snake took his coat off and put it around Meryl who was still in her state of undress, while he was explaining how he wouldn't forget to show her.

It was forty-eight minutes past midnight and they were all sitting on the sofa watching the end of a movie.

Otacon sat close to Snakes left side and reached down to grab some snacks from the table every now and then.

Meryl took out some jelly sweets which she used to stretch the life out of before she ate them.

"What are you doing?" Otacon said as he looked directly at Meryl while leaning back behind Snakes head. He could just make out what she was doing by the TV light in the completely Dark room.

"Jelly sweets!" She said, snapping them like a rubber band.

"Yeah, she finds them very amusing" Snake replied while grinning.

Meryl answered Snake back by snapping one at his cheek.

"Do that again..." Snake said while pointing at his cheek with a grin, but the moment she went to snap it against him, Snake reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Awww, too slow." He teased.

"Hey! Let me try one!" Otacon asked while he reached out behind Snake.

Meryl offered up the bag for him to pick one casually.

Otacon was very puzzled at how things could go from this, to some of the blazing rows he had heard about.

But then, he had never witnessed them first hand. He heard, from all of their mutual friends, the state each other would be in after one of their massive arguments.

He could see they adored each other but couldn't help being resentful. He knew he would make a far better partner to Snake.

So far, he hadn't seen her do anything for Snake he couldn't do, he even found himself hoping and wishing she would leave Snake as he stared at her packed cases near the door.

Otacon purposefully reached behind Snakes head to get another sweet from Meryl. He held his arm there brushing by Snakes hair while he pretended to forget to retract his arm.

Due to reaching over, he was sitting closely right next to Snake, effectively hugging him. He nervously let his arm fall slowly off the top of the sofa onto Snakes shoulders.

He could nearly hear his minds screaming commentary:

_'I'm getting away with this - Please don't notice - I hope no-one moves...'_

Though he was increasingly disgusted by their cuddling and kissing through the film, it made him self-conscious and irritable.

He sat there readjusting his glasses out of nervousness.

_'Who does she think she is?!...all over him like a rash...' he thought to himself '...And he's just shameless, totally shameless...it's Disgusting.' _

He pulled his arm away and edged to the end of the sofa as far away as possible.

Snake arched his back slightly while Meryl put her arm around his waist and he put his arm around her shoulder.

Otacon was glad the room was pitch dark so they couldn't see the look on his face.

_'Why does he let her touch him up like that..?'_

_ 'Where is all his bravado and tough guy act now?! Shes done everything but sit on his lap and fuck him in front of me - though they'd better not...' _

His mind raced and he could feel his heart beat through his chest.

As the ending credits ran for the movie, the room was nearly pitch black.

Snake sat in the center partially awake with his head leaning back against the top of the sofa. Meryl was leaning against him, she had fallen asleep and her head was now slumped on his lap between his thighs.

Otacon was sitting to Snakes left side as he noticed Snake lift his head up and look down at Meryl.

Otacon knew he had to do something soon, because he just couldn't bear to witness his lover going to waste like this.

**PLEASE Click To Chapter IV : Octacon fights for his man.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Split Personalitys** **Chapter IV: Otacon fights for his man.**

Snake slowly tried to get up without waking Meryl.

Otacon whispered to Snake "She'll be fine here, I-I'll get a blanket for her..."

Snake shook his head at Otacon as he lent down to pick her up delicately.

At that moment Otacon kicked over the table which was holding all the cups, but he made it look as if he had stumbled.

"Ohh, I-I'm sooo sorry! Ohh, this is just like me! As blind as anything..." he said as he knelt down to pick up all the glasses.

Meryl stood up obviously sleepy after having been awoken by all the noise.

"That's ok Hal, it can wait until tomorrow..." She said as she rubbed her eyes and headed for the bedroom.

Otacon looked into the bathroom to see Snake washing his face, then pull his top off and undo his belt. Otacon then noticed Snake stop and stare at himself in the mirror.

Snake noticed that about two millimeters of the roots of a few shafts of hair next to his scalp were grey or even bright white.

Hal was frozen staring at his lovers form and longing to be with him again. He remembered the feeling of being pinned down under him, his skin tingled as he recalled the way Snake kissed and bit at his neck, sucking on his earlobe.

If he had realized how special that night was he wouldn't have even gone back to his room. Just stayed there next to him over night.

Otacon longed to be filled up by him again and realized he was going to have to create a setting where Snake could be relaxed and receptive to him again.

He just couldn't shake the events of their night together from his mind as he walked into the room prepared for him.

He took off his clothes, took off his glasses and placed them on the table before he climbed into the bed. All the fur against his naked skin only made the physical effects of his thoughts more pronounced.

He was far too aroused to think of anything else, every thought that entered his mind was from that night. He longed for the feeling of his lover sliding in and out of his body. He remembered how submissive he was and knew he wanted a man who would take the reins. It was sex like he had only ever read about in his Japanese comics, and it was the best sexual experience of his life.

The scientist touched himself while imagining that just maybe, when Meryl had gone back to sleep, the door would slowly open and Snake would stand there leaning against the door frame in all his masculine splendor wanting his way with the programmers body, giving into his immorality.

He convinced himself that he knew Snake was by no means stupid, he must have let him get this far, he must see what is happening. Maybe he does want to forfil himself with this weaker man's body yet still maintain a 'safe distance', but if that were the case he begged fate to make Snake drop a few more hints.

His hands ran up and down at a faster pace recalling Snakes moans and all the things he said and the way he said them in his distinctive husky battered voice, stretching the final syllable of every last word in the sentence in a light growling way.

Otacon wanted to let him know that he was happy to be the submissive recipient. Hal was more than happy to pass all the power in the relationship to Snake. He would live any way he wanted him to, do anything he wanted him do.

He would never step out of line, as he was certain Meryl did, but then he wondered if what if Snake liked 'out of line'?

_'Should I emulate her? What is her secret?'_

The thoughts started to overcome him as he remembered the sensation and inner warmth he felt when Snake came deep within him as he was held there impaled on his lover's length.

He only wished he could have tasted it.

Often during mission preps, Snake would have to stand up still while Otacon would strap him up in his equipment and gear.

He loved those moments having Snakes undivided attention while he ran his hands up and down his body, doing up the laces up on the back of his sneak suit, then undoing them and rethreading them under some excuse of the other.

He loved adjusting straps, doing up buckles, showing him how to use equipment. He wished that as he knelt before him Snake would hold the back of his head and make him satisfy him orally.

He looked around the room for paper or something to use eminently in his last few cognitive moments as he did not want to leave a detectable mess, he just hadn't thought ahead, but before too long, it was too late.

He got out of bed and reached for a tissue from his coat, He listened up to the wall between his room and Snake's, but could not hear anything.

He reached into his case and got out the bath towel and spray he had found at the hotel, the smell of the spray brought everything back so clearly. He went back to his warm bed and held the towel close to him. It smelt like his lover and it was the closest thing he would have to him tonight.

Otacon woke up with a start and reached for his glasses as he saw the green display on his watch showing three twenty-four in the morning.

As soon as he pulled aside the covers he was hit by a wall of freezing air making him look at the fireplace which had burned out overnight.

He wondered out to the bathroom, latched the door and started to open all the cabinets, he wasn't sure what he was looking for, but wanted to make a mental note of anything, though he feared he was becoming alittle obsessed.

He wondered off to the kitchen where he found Snakes jacket. He went through the pockets and found some lose change, an I-D in his real name, part of the plane ticket to New York, a note of supplies written by Meryl with a lot of sweet comments at the bottom, and a note written by Hal over the convention arrangements.

Otacon heard a sound behind him and turned around to see Meryl standing in the doorway shielding her lights from the light.

"Meryl?! w-what are you doing up?" He asked surprised.

"Hehe, I could ask you the same thing sweetie." she said in a sleepy voice as she walked by him tapping his shoulder.

Otacon slowly dropped the jacket hidden by the chair. He looked at Meryl who was making a drink. Her hair was in disarray and she had pillow lines on her face still.

"You know, I've hardly had a moment to chat with you since Shadow Moses Island some, five months ago..." Otacon announced. "I also wanted to know how you two were getting along, I mean, ahhh hes not that comfortable with...social issues.."

"What makes you say that?" Meryl asked as she sat down next to Hal at the table.

"Well it must the idea I get off him..." He answered as he suddenly had the idea to stir the conversation for information.

"Well, sometimes he can be stand offish, but that's the way he is.." She smiled.

"Hehe! very true! I know a little about his 'Stand offish' moments, when you have his full attention you feel like you're the only one on the planet. But, when he turns away...it's like you've been placed on the dark side of the moon..." He said as he stared into his drink.

"Wow, you sort of hit the nail on the head there..." She said giggling with surprise. "-Good thing I'm always the only one on the planet, hehe" She added nodding her head.

"Hey! I'm his best friend, so I know stuff!" Hal said while laughing as he raised an eyebrow while smiling at her.

"Hey! I'm his partner, so I know stuff too!" She laughed.

"So, where is the man then..?" Hal asked.

"Ohh, fast asleep." She replied. "He doesn't sleep well generally so when he's asleep I leave him sleeping." Meryl said as she opened a drawer, checking the date on the bottle.

"He was even prescribed sleeping tablets but he won't take them..." She added.

"Ohhh, I see." Hal noted as he stared at the label. "Anyway, I ahh, noticed your stuff was packed by the door. I hope you two aren't going to separate any time soon, that would be so...-" He stared up to try and find a word."-...Tragic."

"Ohh, that was before he left for New York. We had...like, the mother of all arguments-" she said comically."I just haven't got round to unpacking them yet which is funny as he's always reminding me too. I'm sure he won't feel happy til I do" she laughed.

"So, what do you argue about then..?" he asked.

"Ohh haha! We'd even argue about arguing!!" she joked. "And in fact, one time, we didn't talk to each other for four days after arguing over who'd sleep on the sofa when things really weren't working. He has some silly idea that I should always sleep in the bed. Because he made SUCH an issue over 'looking after me' during fights, ofcourse I wanted to sleep on the sofa!!..." She said in a silly tone.

"Anyway it doesn't really matter because in the middle of the night one of us will always feel sorry and get in with the other." She added.

"Haha, Yeah that's typically him...aaaaaaand Typically you!" Hal laughed while nodding his head.

"Well, then he treats me like a child sometimes, holding my hands and telling me to 'go away and have a think about it, calm down and everything will be ok' - I mean, you tell that kind of thing to a nine year old!" She rolled her eyes.

"Awww..." Hal sighed.

"I mean,my life...my military career is just starting! I want to get out there and be pro-active..." Meryl exclaimed while looking up in a dreamy fashion.

"Why don't you join Philanthropy?" Hal asked.

Meryl sighed. "I can't, it's just too heavily influenced by Dave, and he's into passive-aggression and anti-metal gear groups. We have conflicting political views. I want to get out there on the field! Things have changed, Wars now are about information, intelligence and espionage, Dave doesn't agree and dismisses it as wet work."

"Well, he is retired from service, he's seen a lot and I think your too...-"

Hal stopped himself from saying 'Young to understand' when he had a moment of clarity, and saw that he needed to fight his own war with intelligence, and now knew how to get Meryl onside.

He continued carefully. "...-Eager to get out there because you feel you have something to prove, I think Dave can spare you all this..."

"It's like he comes from some age of heros or something, and it's all different now." She countered. .in fact, I wanted to get back into training exercises and my uncle knows a friend who would fit me into a group that could really make a difference..."

"Well, ahhh. If you really wanted, I could look into some groups that do a bit more advanced training. Though, it may entail you having to travel away to train over the weekend sometimes. but, under two conditions..." Otacon lowered his voice.

"Sure!! What?! Meryl said excitingly.

"One - that I'm picking nothing even remotely dangerous. I'm only going to look for information groups. Not full on service action!" He said while Meryl pouted.

"Two - I don't want Dave to find out I'm...standing up for you, and helping you out, because he'll take it out on me and...I don't want to get involved." He stammered.

"Deal!" Meryl said as she slapped his shoulder, delighted with their harmless little pact.

"Well, we're doing some of the stuff you hate hehe, I've heard something is going on a Tanker in a few months and we're looking into it." He said.

"Oohhh WooooW!" Meryl Said in a bored voice.

"Anyway, there's more work in New York; It would be easier for you both to relocate out there. I mean, that's where Dave and I set up the HQ of Philanthropy anyway. Its dull without him-err you both around all the time in our little group. I'm trying to stay on top of all the Admin too; electric/Rent on the building, you name it. We could do with more funds and donations. Shame Government funding is strictly out! hehe..." He added while pulling his long hair back.

"Well, I know that work means a lot to him. And I'd support him in any way I could but, I just never see it achieving much." Meryl sighed. "Ahh well, Id best try to catch some sleep with what's left of the night..." She said as she reaches over to hug him.

Otacon smiled at her as she walked out then quickly grabbed the I-D from Snakes pocket and some of the sleeping pills.

* * *

The next morning Otacon had a shower, wrapped a towel around himself and unlatched the door to let the steam which was obscuring his glasses out.

He thought about the talk a night before and thought about which groups he could put Meryl in touch with that were non-combatant. He knew she loved to be in the thick of things but he knew just as Snake did, she just wasn't ready for anything like that.

He lent down to wash his face and felt an arm reach around him to turn the water tap on. He looked up and saw Snake standing behind him start to reach for something from a wall cabinet.

He felt instantly flushed and pulled the towel wrapping him up his chest in a pointless nearly female fashion.

"Uhh..." Snake grinned. "-..Nothing I haven't seen before." and slapped him lighted on his lower back as he walked out. Otacon could hear Meryl giggling uncontrollably from the hallway.

Otacon's eyes widened and his hands shook. His mind raced.

_'WHAT did he mean/ is this some kind of coded message or hint/ was he referring to the fact we're both male or that he has seen ME naked?/He did it in front of Meryl...was he making fun of me?!/he slapped my back...was it a loving gesture?...why not slap my rear that would at lest be clear...but then, Meryl was standing there.../ is he just teasing me?!/is this proof he wants me/is this proof he loves me/it means nothing/it means EVERYTHING...GOD I WANT HIM...'_

Hal stared at Snakes figure in his tight black top and loose slacks, wishing that nothing would affect him psychically while he was standing there only in a towel.

He had felt that all of Snake's body was firm and muscular. He was top heavy but had a very tiny waist. His upper chest and thighs had been worked on through training which gave him his striking presence and Manly walk.

Hal tried to think of the most unappealing thing he could to stop himself becoming aroused but nothing was working. He loved Snakes body of work, and then thought about himself, he was stick thin with no definition to his body at all, and he was starting to develop a little stomach.

Meryl was toned and defined and had a shapely rear which he noticed Snake mention to her. But then it was one of the first things snake had noticed about her. A toned cared for figure, and a shapely ass.

He stumbled out of the bathroom and rushed into his room to dress in front of the fire. He thought he'd test how receptive Snake was before he started to show them the generator.

Meryl was standing in the kitchen space holding a assault rifle prepping to fire it at a target outside some distance away. Otacon walked in and saw her snapping and clicking various parts.

"Wow...I wish I could do that..." he joked.

"Come over here Hal..." She said lovingly as he nervously stepped over. "Hold this..." she said as she passed it to him.

Otacon had hardly ever even held a weapon; he held it as he would a drill with it limp to his side.

"No, No,No! Like this!" She stood next to him positioning his hands and legs.

Snake made some breathy irritated sound as he walked over with a cigarette in his mouth and carefully took the weapon from them and stepped behind Otacon.

"Like this..." he said as he kicked one of Hal's legs out to widen them, pressed his body right up against, and behind Hals to bend his into position. He started bending him forward slightly and adjusting his elbows.

Otacon was intimidated but turned on hopelessly. He could feel a burning sensation in his chest as his pulse started to race and he felt a need to be taken then and there.

He felt snakes warm body covering his back. When he felt Snake put a arm around him and pull his stomach in to bend him forward. He felt soo happy.

"Hey...Dave, would you show me how to hold and fire these things...?" Otacon asked fervently.

"With any luck you'll never need to know how..." Snake replied as they all walked out to listen to watch Snake explain the generator.

**Please Click To Chapter V: The Path of Alcohol**


	5. Chapter 5

**Split Personalitys Part V: The path of alcohol**

Meryl sat with Otacon in the living space chatting over some of their political Ideas while playing chess.

Meryl sighed with exasperation "Ohh! Talking to you is like talking to Dave, I swear you've both read all the same books! - ohh, your move Hal."

"Why, cause I agree with him?" Hal joked.

"Yes...on like, everything! Does he tell you what to wear too?" She laughed.

"I wish he did! Hehe, I'd be alot lot more fashionable I think - Ahhh, your move."

Meryl put down her beer bottle and studied the pieces.

"Check!" She announced with pride after skipping his Queen.

"Good move!" Hal smiled widely making his high cheekbones push his glasses up slightly.

"Well, I must be good at cornering men" She said as she picked back up her bottle and started drinking from it.

"Check-mate." He smiled as he moved his knight, cornering her King into a carefully thought-out trap.

Hal was already a borderline genius with a high IQ. He used to play chess with his university friends, up to the point they would no-longer play against him as he would think at least three moves ahead and had a minimum of three strategies in play in any one game.

Chess was a meeting of minds and there was a lot he could learn about a person just by the way they played. He had just learned from Meryl that Snake did play against her sometimes.

Hal wanted to play against Snake desperately.

Meryl squinted her eyes at Hal "you're as bad as he is! Though at lest he gives me hints!"

"Hints?! Aaahh come on...!"He laughed "Daaave, I think your girlfriends about to beat me up!!" He called to the kitchen.

"Ha!" they heard as a reply.

Meryl turned up some loud music as she picked up all the bottles and packed the chess board away.

"I'll go see if he needs a hand." Otacon said as he walked into the kitchen space. "Something smells good" he said looking at what was cooking.

"Yea, I hope it's not raw this time!" Meryl said as she looked under the lid of the pan while Snake swigged from her bottle.

Snake grinned at Meryl.

Otacon got a glass of water and took his antibiotics dose.

"Look! he's already weakened, let's not poison him to death" she teased "-though I'll probably have some of those antibiotics standing by just in case"

"Antibiotics?" Snake questioned.

"Yea, the poor man has an infection of some kind." she said as she rubbed Otacon's back.

"Awww..." Snake breathed out.

"Ohh, I'll survive" he said while staring down. He was touched over Snakes concern for him and was ecstatic he got a little show of sympathy too.

Meryl went to the living space to get another drink.

"Well, I'll finish these in another week" Hal assured her on her way out.

"Hal, have you got a cold?" Snake turned to him while chopping some ingredients.

"Nah, it's a a bit of a injury." Hal replied while looking straight at Snake.

"Injury?! How did you manage that? Drop a keyboard on your foot?" he grinned.

"Nah, it was...actually you..." Hal said under his breath.

His sudden drop in tone made Snake listen to his words carefully.

"Ahhhh" Snake partially pronounced in a sigh.

"Come here..." Snake turned to face him after putting the knife down.

"Me?!" Hal asked with a tinge of worry.

"Of course you..." Snake said in his normal growling tone as he took the cigarette out of his mouth and put it in the ashtray on the side.

Hal tried to resist asking why as he stepped up to Snake with his head firmly pointed down.

Snake put his arms around Otacon in a manly male bonding fashion and hugged him while patting his back.

Otacon was in such a state of shock, he was scared to move in case he did something to break his hug. He was too scared to hug him back in case he did something 'wrong'.

He was so pleasantly shocked that he got empathy and sympathy from his one time lover all in one night.

"Its...not your fault" Hal said quietly to Snakes ear. "And anyway, who am I to complain. It's weird, it felt so good I didn't even realize I was hurt until after"

"Well...I-" Snake started to say, but then stopped as Meryl walked into the room.

Otacon sat down into a chair with a mixture of shock and bliss on his face. He could hear the beat of the loud music muffled and bleeding through the wall.

"Wow you like some heavy music Meryl" Otacon joked to her.

"Well this is slower then what she normally listens too, it's all bass, guitars and some guy shouting in German." Snake added as he took the cigarette out of his mouth to exhale.

"Well not everyone likes Jazz." She teased as he slapped Snakes rear while she past by him.

"Well I speak German, so I can tell you what they say..." Otacon said staring at Snake smoking.

"Uhh yea. Well your families German so I guess you would, but you speak about five languages don't you?" Snake replied.

".Uhh ha. I always found languages easy to pick up, what about you?" Otacon asked as he stood up and walked back over to Snake.

"I speak Russian and Chinese, perfectly." Snake roared.

"Well,they sound like choices for work though. I don't speak anything as exotic as that! hehe." Hal smiled.

"Well Russian is pretty much the first choice as a second language in the military." He said as he glanced at Otacon.

Afew hours later they were all gathered in the living space with Snake flicking through the channels. Otacon stared at Meryl as she poured herself another vodka and added cranberry juice to it. He was feeling a little light himself after having six drinks.

"Hmmm, Meryl, that's like, the thirteenth or fourteenth one you've had. I mean, you complain about him!" Otacon joked as he pointed at Snake who was holding a glass of whiskey.

Meryl just looked at him and giggled. "Hardly! Anyway this is my fill of drinks for the night. I don't drink myself blind like he can."

"Really?!" Otacon said as he looked at Meryl shocked. Though as he stood up he wavered back and forth slightly as the alcohol went straight to his head.

"Yea, but only when he's depressed.." She said as she looked down for a moment."But! One time, after we fought, he drank so much he forgot what year it was..."

Snake turned around in an instant while pointing at them, partially smiling."...That was...ONCE..." He said holding up his index finger as Meryl and Otacon started laughing hysterically while supporting each other.

"Yea but before he gets to that state he's had like, two or three Litres of spirits, though, those are not good times" Meryl said in a moment of seriousness that seemed to shine through her alcoholic daze.

Otacon stared at her with his eyes wide. "Two or Three Litres? Are you kidding?! Don't you...die after that?!"

"Well, yes if you did it all the time, that's why I locked everything up in that cabinet over there." She Announced.

"Right! So if you wanna drink you better be good to her" Hal joked while pointing at Snake.

"Hey! I am good to you..." Snake said in a deep tone as he sat down next to Meryl who was shuffling some cards.

"Very good...sometimes..." She said as she leaned over to kiss Snake.

Otacon tried not to let it affect him. Even though he was drunk with the few drinks he had. He could feel the alcohol amplify all his insecurities and emotions.

He could understand how it could spiral downwards because it would dull the emotion you drank for but extenuated the silent fears that made you drink more.

"Hal,you haven't won once?!" Meryl said as she gathered all the cards together. "I guess I'm no good at card games." He sighed as he adjusted his glasses.

"So then, When are you two going to come out to New York to help me run the group?" He asked as he picked up his new cards.

"Ohh! I will!" Meryl said excitedly while scanning her cards.

"You're doing a great job as it is Hal. I can run most the rest from here." Snake replied while lighting a cigarette.

"Yea but everyone misses you! And Mei's pretty pointless at taking phone messages." Otacon whispered.

"Hey!" Meryl said while pointing at Otacon.

"Well she seems to be a wonderful gossip from what I hear." Snake added as Meryl pretended to hit him.

Otacon was lost in his own sorrow. He felt isolated and ostracized; He tried to look at his cards but was too distracted by Meryl and Snakes amorous play.

He resented how Snake would dote on her, tolerate her when she was being outspoken, He seemed to make allowances for anything she did or said.

Otacon knew Snake loved her brash behavior and with aggression like theirs he could easily imagine them going at it like no-one's business after they made up.

The thought of it revolted him.

He looked up from his cards to see Meryl leaning over to kiss Snake, who seems to have his arm around her tiny waist and his hand up her quilted sweater.

All of a sudden the color drained from Otacon's vision. He lifted his hands up behind his glasses to rub his eyes.

Everything seemed to slow down to a slow motion as he lifted his hands up behind his glasses to rub his eyes again, thinking it may return his vision to normal.

He looked out again to see the world in Grey.

Meryl turned to Otacon as she noticed his breathing change and become labored. She rushed to his side as he covered his mouth while starting to wretch.

He then got up and rushed to the bathroom to vomit.

He was on his knees with his head tilted towards the toilet as he suffered waves of nausea.

"Aww, I didn't know you feeling so sick..." Meryl lovingly said as she knelt down behind him and put her arms around his waist to hug him.

Otacon reached down to her linked hands in front of his stomach and pulled them apart as he leaned forward to be sick again.

"Can you get him some water?" Snake whispered in a light growl to Meryl who hurried to the kitchen to get some while Snake rubbed Hals his back and comforted him.

Snake pulled Hals hair out of his face while he was being sick. As he looked down at the slender man on his knees, he grabbed Otacon's wrists and put pressure on a spot on both his inner arms, a inch up from the bend of his wrist.

"What are you doing?" Otacon asked as Snake lent down next to him, still keeping the pressure constant.

Meryl came in with some water then went off to raid Hals case for new clothes.

"Here are two natural acupressure points for nausea, how do you feel?" Snake asked in a deep and reassuring tone managing to keep his hands steady even though he was slightly inebriated.

Otacon didn't know if it was placebo or if it was really working, but in about five minutes he felt an inner calm and the nausea stopped.

"David...what do you think of me...?" Hal spoke in nearly a whisper which lacked any energy.

"What do you mean?" Snake replied as released Otacon's arms.

"I know what you're thinking - 'Boring Bastard' right? Do you want me to leave...?" Otacon sniffed as he spoke and leaned against the wall.

"I've never said that." Snake said while scanning Hals face.

"Am I in the way here...I'm just a irritation right?" Otacon mumbled.

"HAL! pull yourself together! You're going to make yourself ill and I can hear your heartbeat from here..." Snake said as he gripped Otacons shoulders.

"You didn't answer any of my questions though..." Otacon mumbled while peering down, as a small tear ran down one side of his face.

"Hal...I,...need you..."Snake replied.

"Whaa, Really?" Otacon said as he looked up to Snake.

"Yes...,Who else am I supposed to get IT advice from when everything goes up like a roman candle?" Snake said factually in a breathy tone.

Otacon squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his face in his hands.

"What's wrong?? Are you having some kind of nervous breakdown?" Snake asked with concern. "-Look, I know things are pretty messed up between us but...-"

"Messed up?!" Otacon cut in as he looked up showing his eyes all red and puffy. "Don't you have any empathy in you or was that engineered out?!...you would never treat Meryl like this.."

"What's she got to do with this?" Snake asked in a low tone while he pinched the top of his nose with his eyes squeezed shut. He didn't rise to the insults that would have gotten anyone else killed.

"She's everything to you! She does whatever she pleases, treats you anyway she likes! You're so paranoid she's going to leave you there's no reasoning with you!" Hal said bordering on shouting.

"Where has all this come from?? What exactly is your problem?" Snake asked trying to think straight through the drink and the headache he was getting.

"Ohhh, never mind...just never mind..." Hal sobbed as he dried his face and started searching the floor."-...Where are my eyeglasses..."

"Here." Snake said as he balanced them on Hals face.

Snakes features became clear to the heartbroken scientist, he tried not to look at him too long or it would affect him too much. Though he read genuine confusion and sadness in his lover's large ,light green eyes.

"I feel terrible, and really drunk...and miserable...and I wish I could just die, so I'm just going to bed..." Hal mumbled in his characteristically whinny voice as he pushed by Snake on the way out.

Meryl turned to Snake as he swaggered into the living space. "What took you? And where's Hal?"

"Ohh, he got drunk, got sick, got emotional, got angry...then got sleepy..." Snake said as he sat down next to Meryl and put his arm around her and picked up his glass again.

"Awww,I bet he's still heartbroken." She said sadly.

"Huh? Over..?" Snake asked as he turned to her.

"His girlfriend." Meryl replied casually as she snuggled up next to Snake.

Snake raised an eyebrow. "He's got a girlfriend?" he said in a voice of total disbelief as he pointed in the general direction of Otacon's room.

"Yes silly! She left him for another man in New York Shortly before you left...it's so sad, he's such a nice guy...abit weird,but nice."

"Ahh, well that explains a lot..."Snake answered.

The Next morning Otacon walked into the kitchen looking for painkillers and lots of coffee.

"Morning Hal" She smiled as he sat down and lent on the table. "Are you ok?" she said as she drew up a chair.

"No,I feel terrible, my head hurts..."He said as he stared into his cup, trying not to look at Meryl who was wearing only her vest and underpants.

"Aww, we think its cause you miss your girlfriend, maybe you should go out there, circulate. Find someone else" She said while buttering toast.

"'we'? You told David?!" The pain in his head suddenly faded into the background of a heavy feeling of despair.

Meryl looked left and right with her eyes "Was I...not supposed to?"

"No-No, errr...I just thought that ahhhhhhh, he would just give me some rye anecdote about my failings, or just be unsympathetic..." Otacon said as he got up quickly.

"He's not like that..." She dismissed.

Otacon went into Snakes room to find him but found their bed made "Where's Dave..?" Otacon asked as he walked back in.

"He went to Town to do a few things, why? Are you ok you look abit stressed, and you really have been acting strange recently." She noted.

"How long ago?" He said trying to sound indifferent.

"About three or four hours ago. He was up very early this morning" she added.

"Was he gone when you woke up?" Otacon asked to get some idea of the time frame.

"Oh no he was here then."She said as she poured more coffee.

"Are you sure?" Hal asked.

Meryl threw him a silly look. "...OFCOURSE I'm sure...unless I imagined it" She teased.

Otacon rolled his eyes and wished he hadn't asked.

"Ahh, well I guess I'll talk to him when he gets back then."Otacon said as his headache seemed to worsen.

Otacon was just getting the situation under control and exactly where he wanted it, except his slight outburst last night; all his little plans were coming together.

He had gained control over the couple and Meryl was instrumental in the control of Snake. The problem was that he only had a few days left to convince Snake to come back to New York to continue their relationship.

He knew if he left him here in Alaska he would never see him again except maybe for their group activities.

But he knew Snake loved Meryl too much to be away from her, so he planned to have her join separate groups run from New York.

Then with any luck they would then not be living together and Hal could build the kind of life he dreamed of, with his man.

He also wanted answers, about everything that had happened between them. He was tired of stolen drink fueled moments in a smoke filled room.

Otacon was lost in thought and Meryl was reading a newspaper when they heard the Door open and shut and the excited barking of all the dogs.

"MERYL! I want to talk to you!" Hal and Meryl looked at each other before turning to the direction of the door.

Snake walked in and threw his coat on a chair, flicked away his cigarette butt and lent on the table in front of Meryl.

"What's this...?" Snake said in a guttural tone while putting a piece of paper down in front of her.

"...What?" She said as she scanned it.

"Your uncle contacted me to find out exactly why 'I'm' sending you to go join an anti-Establishment sleeper cell for hostile political group..." Snake said as he pointed at her.

"This is not a hostile group and their activates are well documented...-" She started.

"Where did you even get these details? These are high security level groups. Serious men with serious weapons. Just who put you in contact with groups and people like this?" He said as he scanned her face.

Meryl was careful not to even give Hal a single glance as that would tell Snake everything.

"Not everyone's a terrorist! And this is a deterrence group who has never been involved in any hostile action, it was all checked into." She said while staring up at him.

"Sometimes you have to look further then what's documented! Look at the names of who's behind this, which tells you this is just a front for other operations, but you'd only know that if you fully understood the situation." Snake said calmly to Meryl.

Otacon sat silently staring at the floor.

**Please Click To Next Chapter : The big freeze / Otacon's plan works!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Split Personalitys Part VI - The big freeze / Otacon's plan works!**

Meryl stood up in front of Snake with her hands on her hips.

"Look! Not every things a deadly front for illegal activity!" She shouted back.

Snake held her hands and looked down to her to try and calm her down.

"Don't you understand why I go on about these things; it's for your own personal safety! I just don't want you to go out, get into a situation you can't handle and end up dead. What am I supposed to do then?!" He implored her.

"You just think I'm incapable of anything!!" She said sternly while looking to the side, away from him.

"Meryl, that's not true, but you would never even be considered for these kinds of groups if you yourself were not such a political bargaining tool because of your affiliation to, and connections with certain people." Snake said factually.

"Ohhh! So you think I can't even get a position without you or my uncle? Is that it?!" She said with mounting anger.

Meryl slammed both her hands flat on the table and shouted at Snake

"You CAN'T Control me! You don't have veto on every aspect of my life!"

"You won't HAVE a life if you follow some of your crazy ideas! On the battlefield, everything can change in the blink of an eye. Friends can become enemies, assets can become liabilities..." Snake said calmly but firmly.

Snake turned the paper over to show a photocopy of his I-D and validation codes.

"Someone also has been through the classified files in Washington because I have two of these I-Ds for security purposes and someone's obviously done the impossible and stolen the copy of my I-D there because mine is right here..." Snake said as he picked up his jacket and started searching the pockets for his wallet.

Meryl looked confused, and then quickly shot a panic'd glance at Hal.

Otacon was staring firmly to the floor. He hated them at each other's throats. He thought he had carefully checked every detail before he passed it to her.

But he also knew that this was all for the greater good, he had to fight for his man, and if he could make Meryl happy and involve her in something she wants to do then all the better.

Snake took out his wallet and searched threw his cards as Meryl looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"Here, see - mines right here!" Snake said as he put it on the table.

Meryl's heart stopped pounding as she knew then that Hal had obviously needed pass bar code of some kind, but had put the card back in time.

She was confused, she knew how worried Hal was about her and how much he looked into anything that he passed on to her. She also knew then that there was no way they could really know which organizations were safe.

"This also means I have to destroy all my I-D and wait three months to get new ones issued..." He said irritated.

"And WHY does my uncle run everything by YOU?!" She shouted.

"Because! We want you to stay ALIVE! It's bad enough ALL my fucking business is all over FoxHound!" He shouted as a serious comment, but it just ended up sounding comical.

"Oohhhhh I see, I'm your 'fucking business' now?!" She returned.

"Ahhhhhh, can I make a small point here..?" Otacon said in a mousy tone while raising his hand.

"SHUT UP!!" Snake and Meryl screamed in unison after turning to him.

"Why did YOU go and tell your uncle we were having problems?!" Snake said in his usual battered tone.

"Because YOU told him I was 'impulsive', 'uncontrollable', 'lacked common sense' and 'Had a lot of growing up to do...'!" She shouted back.

"Yes and I love each one of those traits! But YOU told him I was 'Socially challenged'!" Snake replied.

"That's because YOU told him I always jam guns and seem to have a 'pathological tendency' to leave the safety on!"She said as she squared up to him.

Snake made some unintelligible sound while throwing his hands up and stepping a 360o circle on the spot to face her again.

Meryl stared at him scanning his face, her eyes were red and watery, and she looked down then stormed off into their bedroom before showing any emotion.

"Meryl?!" Snake called after her as he walked up to the door and tried the handle but found she'd latched it.

Snake knocked on the door.

"Meryl...open the door..." he said in a matter of fact way.

"What are you doing in there?" he asked as he could hear stifled sobs.

"I'm...getting my things together..." came the reply in a faltering voice.

"No you're not. You're not going anywhere! Now open this door now, I mean it." Snake said impatiently.

"No!" her muffled voice replied through the door.

"Don't stress me out Meryl. Open this door now! This is really...Immature!" He said as he kept trying the handle.

Otacon would have laughed if he didn't feel so directly responsible and guilty, but he kept thinking about all he would gain, and the better life Snake would have with him.

Otacon went over to gently grab his arm to pull Snake away from the door, but Snake yanked his arm away.

"Are you...just going to stay in there all night then?" Snake shouted through the door.

"If I want! why?" Meryl replied. Though the sound level of her voice proved she was standing behind the door.

"Just checking. Well then, at least you'll be okay, all nice and warm in bed." Snake shouted through the door.

"Huh? Ohhh, no I won't! Before I sleep I'll go make my bed on...the Kitchen floor! - you can sleep in here!" She shouted indignantly.

"Meryl! Door. Open. NOW!" he shouted, but there was no reply.

Snake looked frustrated and walked into the kitchen to put food down for the dogs. Otacon walked over to him.

"I know I'm no authority on women but, I really don't think she's very receptive to talk right now." Otacon said as he put a hand on Snakes shoulder.

"No, But, look at this?! You try reasoning with her!" Snake said with slightly watered eyes as he went about the household things that need to be done.

"Ahhh,I'm sure she'll come round. I know how she feels about you." Otacon said while trying not to think about it.

"What if she wants to leave? Do you think she wants to leave??" Snake said while looking up at Otacon.

"Well, ahhhhh, I don't know." Hal said while readjusting his glasses nervously.

Snake grabbed his coat and walked past Otacon.

"Where are you going?" Hal asked desperately.

"Out!" Came his reply.

Otacon knocked on the door delicately.

"Meryl, its Hal open up please. David's gone out and I-"

Before he could finish his sentence he heard the latch. Meryl rushed out to the window.

"What?! Where did he go??" she asked sadly.

"He said he was just going out. Look sit down, I'll make you something to eat." Otacon said as he looked around at what to make.

"I shouldn't have stressed him out, it only makes his depression worse. Now he'll probably go out and drink himself half to death." Meryl said with her head in her crossed arms on the table.

"Look, I'm sure he'll be OK, he has infinite patience for you." Hal joked.

"Look, I'm going to go out and talk to him; I know how his mind works. It'll be fine" Otacon said hoping it would be.

Meryl hugged Otacon. "He always gets so depressed, and then he gives me a guilt trip over everything later if he isn't passed out. I'm so glad you're here Hal." she said.

"Meryl, I'm just sorry things are like this now, and I feel responsible. I want to make everything right for all of us...that's the truth." Hal said while feeling really bad.

"I know..." She said downcast.

"I'll go find him!" Hal said as he grabbed his thick coat.

* * *

After a long while and having had to call his guide from the village to take him back, Otacon arrived at the Town part of the area and started looking into the few night spots there.

He walked into a night bar and saw Snakes unmistakable form sitting up at the bar.

"Dave! What are you doing here?" Otacon said with shock seeing the empty glasses and taking the filled one out of his hand.

"I could ask you the same question..." Snake replied.

"You really should come home, Meryl will worry..."He said as he pulled Snake's arm.

"She didn't sound too worried to me..." Snake slurred.

Otacon leaned forward to get the bartenders attention. "Two Vodkas, straight up please."

"Well I'm sure she's seen sense. Anyway, I wouldn't want to leave Alaska knowing you two are in a even worse state then when I arrived..." Hal said in a low tone.

"Uhh? When are you leaving?" Snake said as he turned to him.

"Acouple of day's time, then I get back and hope the group isn't a total mess. Then go back to work at the lab..." Hal continued as the two drinks were placed in front of them.

"Hmmm, What will you do here?" Otacon asked.

"Well, Live, raise this lot of dogs, keep the group updated and keeping vigil I guess..." Snake said as he downed his whole glass at once.

Otacon made a show of trying to down his drink all at once, and then his throat started burning.

"Are you OK?" Snake pointed as he asked.

"Yes...fine" Otacon squeaked with hardly any voice as Snake grinned at him.

Snake held up two fingers to the bartender who poured two more drinks.

"Hmmm Anyway, there's something I want to ask you...and it's important." Hal said while looking into his new drink.

"What?"

"Well, you always keep your word, I know that. You have to promise to...-" Otacon took a large gulp of his drink. "-...Come out to New York for a few months a year, if you two insist on staying here."

"Why?" Snake asked while looking at him

The music became too loud so Otacon picked up his drink and headed for the corner of the large bar where there was a table and a sofa that ran along the wall. Though, the corner was nearly pitch black. It even eluded flashing from the strobe lighting.

"Well, it's not been the same since you left..." Hal stammered. "And, you don't want to have to put up with me crashing your place every now and then."

"I haven't complained so far." Snake slurred with a kind of grin.

"Well, probably cause, I spend most the time watching Anime on my laptop. Hehe! You hardly know I'm here." He giggled, then smiled at Snake as Hal put his hand on his leg.

Snakes eyes fell to his hand then looked back up at him with a suspicious slant.

"I'm going to get another drink..." Hal said as he searched his satchel for his wallet in the dark.

Otacon walked back to the busy part of the bar and leaned over to the bartender.

"One Vodka, One water and a bottle of that stuff please." he pointed to one of Snakes empties as he made a mental note which was the water as he walked back.

"Are you going to patch things up with your girlfriend?" Snake asked.

Otacon looked uncomfortable. "Well, ahhhhh no, I think I'm gonna let that one slide." He stammered.

"Why?"

"Well, I guess it doesn't come very naturally to me." he said as he looked down.

"So, you're looking for a man?" Snake asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Well no, in fact. Ahhhh, and, and t-this is funny...-" Otacon grinned nervously."I've never much of a sexual attraction to women, And I've never had much of a sexual attraction to men either...-"

Snake looked left and right with a look of total confusion on his face and dismissed his lack of comprehension on the alcohol.

"Well...then, I think you've run out of options there..."Snake joked.

"Well its probably cause I never had much of a sex drive. but I believe, that when you meet the right person, everything changes. And it can transcend gender, society...everything." Otacon said quietly.

"Is this a science lesson?" Snake asked in a comical but breathy way.

"Hehe...no." Hal smiled with his head tilted towards Snake.

"You see, I'm a simple guy, you have to talk in English...-" Snake started

"...-Or Russian or Chinese.." Otacon cut into Snake's sentence, finishing with a smile while nodding his head and looking down.

"Well, you're the academically gifted one.." Snake said as he poured another drink.

"Oohhhhh, Academically gifted one..." Otacon repeated in a silly voice. "Yea, aren't I like...the best scientist you've ever known?!"

"you're the ONLY scientist I know..." Snake replied.

"Aww C'mon Dave! I was fishing for compliments there!" Hal said in mock indigence while pulling back his long hair from his face.

"Well, I'm getting a bit tired, I'll probably head home.."Snake said while staring at the clock on the wall.

"Yea,...yea,...Oh! ahhhhhh. Were you going to move back to New York?" Otacon asked as he poured Snake another drink.

"Hmmm I really don't think so." Snake slurred. "There's not much point. We have our life set up here."

"Well, I'm sure Meryl would Love to live in the City again...I mean, she sounded very excited about the idea earlier." Otacon said as he ran his index finger up and down the side of Snakes neck.

"Well, I'll ask her and see what she wants." Snake answered.

"Is it always about what she wants?" Otacon asked with a saddened tone.

"Of course!" Snake said without hesitation fending off the urge to finish the last of the bottle before heading home to bed.

Otacon turned his body to lean into Snake who was sitting slightly slumped on the sofa facing forward.

"Dave...well, I think what you want is very important." he said as he ran his hand up and down Snakes thigh while he looked directly into his eyes in a almost disturbing fashion.

"Well...I'm glad. She thinks the same as well..."Snake grinned.

Otacon ran his other hand down the long stubble on Snakes face and touched the back of his head, feeling how soft his shoulder length brown hair was.

Hal lent in, tilting his head slightly and paused in front of his partners face for a moment before kissing Snake very lightly on the lips. He then waited for a reaction, violent, active or unresponsive.

Snake seemed unresponsive for the most part which he took as a good sign. He had carefully gauged any reaction Snake had made to his ever increasingly intimate touches.

Hal kissed him again while pressing his lips more firmly against Snake's and noticed that he had closed his eyes and had started to slowly kiss him back.

Hal lost any air he may have had in his lungs in one desperate exhale. Hal pressed his mouth against his partners and began to kiss him passionately as he started to suck his bottom lip as Snake pulled him closer.

He wasn't even put off by the ever present strong taste of smoke in Snakes mouth. He was just grateful for a moment to be the only person on the planet.

Otacon was transfixed by the sound of their kissing but could feel the grip Snake had on the hair on the back of his head which he used to pull back on occasionally while he kissed him.

Otacon worried a little in case he got too turned on and pinned him down and roughed him up out here, in the middle of no-where with no specialist medical care. Again, Hal felt like a virgin bride with all the fear and promise of the unknown.

He decided that as long as Snake was sitting down and Hal was to his side or on his lap things may be kept under control.

Otacon undid the top of Snake's jacket to expose his neck and shoulder. As he kissed the side of his neck he was trying to stay vigilant to their surroundings even though they were in a completely dark corner, he wanted things to be as private as possible while still enjoying the thrill of possibly being caught.

Otacon reached down and undid Snakes belt and was trying to undo the fixtures on his combat style slacks. Snake reached down and undid his clothes in a moment in an urgent and complicit manner.

Otacon knelt down on the floor in front of Snake and gripped him with both hands, even in the darkness he cause feel how aroused Snake was as he sat before him, looking up into his eyes.

He ran his tongue up and down his lover's length and focused in on his breathing patterns change as he started to suck on him.

Snake caressed the back of Otacon's head as he lifted and lowered his hips slightly.

Hal knew he must be doing well as he glanced up and saw that Snakes breaths were deep and his eyes were slightly rolled up while he rested his head on the top of the sofa, very much worse for wear after several bottles of spirits.

His slight breathy moans were being drowned out by the loud synthesized music. Hal wished they would get a place to stay for the night so he could keep his lover to himself as long as possible. He didn't even care he was recovering from their previous unprepared encounter; He just wanted to feel Snake deep inside him again.

At that moment his mobile rang, he tried to ignore it while he was giving his partner oral sex, but it kept ringing forcing him to stop a moment. He picked his phone up and was going to turn it off when he saw Meryl's name on the display.

Otacon stood up and leaned over to Snakes ear to tell him he had an important call and he would be right back. Hal ran to a quiet corner and answered.

"Meryl! Ahhhhh, hiya. Are you OK?" He nervously asked.

"Yes Hal, where's Dave? Did you find him?" She asked with concern.

"Ahh, yea...-" Otacon said as he glanced back to see that Snake had probably fallen asleep by now. "-But I don't think he's in any state to come home really..."

"Ohh, really?! Well then I'll come down there myself and talk to that man" Meryl replied impatiently.

Otacon heard the line go dead and felt a pain in his heart that his lover was going to be taken away from him again.

Hal walked back to Snake and knelt back down before him while his mind raced to think of some kind of plan.

Snake reached out and put his hand to the back of Otacon's head again, curling Hal's hair around his fingers.

"Don't stop..." Snake said under his breath as he spread his legs slightly further apart so Otacon could lean in easier.

Snake guided Hals head up and down his shaft, slowly at first but becoming more impatient.

Otacon was happier than ever and desperately wanted to satisfy the man he was so in love with. He was happy to let Snake do anything he wanted with him, he was grateful for any love he wanted to give him.

Though, Hal got the idea Snake wasn't a fan of such complacency so he knew not to mention such thoughts. Meryl's brash arrogance seemed to appeal to Snake so Hal just watched what was successful from that. Otacon liked to think he gave better head then she did but there was no real way to find out.

Otacon felt the hand at the back of his head start to press more forcefully down on him. He wanted to keep looking around to make sure no-one was walking into the quieter and dark part of the bar but couldn't move from his position.

Without warning Snake yanked Hals head down onto him making Hal jerk backwards hitting his stomach against the corner of the table while gagging and starting to cough.

"Easy, please easy..." Otacon said imploringly. "I didn't hit you with my teeth did I?" Hal said forgetting about himself and worried about the effect of his jerking back on his lover.

"Nah...You're good..." Snake said in a breath.

Even if he did like it rough it wasn't something Hal was going to try.

He felt Snakes breaths become shallow and he could taste precum in his mouth as he sucked on his lovers fully erect length.

Snake started pulling on Otacon's hair to force him up and down faster. Hals jaw ached by now and he hardly had the time to Savior the precum he briefly tasted. He felt maybe he needed to exert force and get the speed in order to cum.

Otacon could hear snake mumbling something unintelligible as he made him take as much as he could into his mouth.

Snake groaned loudly as he climaxed and shuddered slightly before relaxing all his muscles, leaving Hal feeling very special as he continued to suck his lover who was still quite hard.

Otacon felt like he had attained something he could only dream about as he held his lovers warm seed in his mouth before swallowing.

**Please Click To Next Chapter: A moments love**


	7. Chapter 7

**Split Personalitys - Chapter VII : A Moments Love**

In the dark corner Hal snuggled up to his spent lover. Snake was trying to keep his eyes open fending off the peaceful sleep that wanted to claim him.

Otacon saw Snake reach into his back pocket for his cigarettes, so he got them out for his lover.

Hal put one in his mouth and lit it for Snake, even though he didn't smoke he loved the taste of that certain brand because it was what he tasted every time they'd kissed.

Snake took the cigarette and lent back in the sofa to smoke. Hal put his arms around him and rested his head on Snakes chest.

"I love you so much..." Hal whispered sadly.

"I know.." Snake said factually in his usual tone.

"Hal!" Meryl called while looking through the bar.

"Meryl's here?!" Snake replied with renewed awareness while clearing the bottles off the table.

"Ohh, ahhhh, yea. I guess she came here because I didn't bring you back quick enough..." Otacon stumbled while checking his clothes and wiping his mouth in a hurried fashion then looking Snake over.

"Meryl!" Hal said in a welcoming tone as he stood up from the sofa.

Meryl pushed him back into a seated position as she passed by him to get to Snake.

"Meryl! you came all the way out here on your own?" Snake said as he embraced her.

She just nodded as she squeezed him tightly, making sniffing sounds.

Otacon looked down, and then took his glasses off to rub his eyes in a frustrated manner.

"Are you still mad at me?" Snake said in a low tone while looking down at the top of her head and stroking her red hair.

"I could ask you the same question..." she replied.

"Uhh? Of course not! I'm never mad at you, frustrated yes...but mad, no." Snake slurred.

"Oohh, what a tangled web we weave..." Otacon said as he stared into his empty glass.

When they all arrived back home, Meryl patted and played with the excited dogs as Otacon and Snake took off their heavy coats.

Meryl walked in to make them all coffee. She walked over to Otacon as she boiled the kettle.

"Why did you let him get into such a state, you should just drag him back when he's like that." She said.

"Well, ahhhh.I don't think he's a easy man to drag..." Otacon said trying to lighten his mood, though he was lost in thought about the events of the past couple of hours.

She walked back into the living room and put the tray on the table.

Snake was looking through a magazine on the sofa and Meryl sat next to him with her coffee.

".Dave, you sure you're not upset with me?" Meryl said while snuggling up to him.

"Uhh- ahh" Snake grunted under his breath while looking up and down the paper.

"Ahhh, good. That was a definite grunt, glad you're not!" She said cheerly.

Snake just turned to her and smiled.

Otacon was in the kitchen when something caught his attention. He walked up to the door frame and made an observation, Snake was talking to Meryl completely cognitively and with his usual bout of breathy sounds and grunts that made him so distinctive.

Otacon suddenly had a silent nagging doubt creep into his mind that put him into a dreamlike state of thought...

_'What if...he's been out-thinking me? Could he have 'let' me get this far? Why pretend to get bladdered? Is he just in denial and using me to feed a urge he swears outright he doesn't have? But then...I've never seen him show interest in men before?...and then there's Meryl...? Well he certainly prefers sex with a woman...but then...? ohh, I don't understand, it can only mean one thing...he must love 'Me'...?'_

_'...But I believe, that when you meet the right person, everything changes. And it can Transcend Gender, Society...Everything...'_ Otacon's own words Echoed in his head.

".._Or is he just using me to supplement his sexual needs..? But that makes no sense unless I answer the first questions...? I wonder if he's been sleeping with Meryl too while I'm here...? ...of course he is...? If so, then he's just out of control...! What is going on in his head? ...it must be me? I've done this? It's just cause he loves me? And I just happen to be a man...? I have to find out before I leave, why do this to me? he knows I love him...he even confirmed it...?"_

Otacon walked into the living room and sat down next to Meryl and shot a look of total disdain at her.

"So then, what are we going to do tomorrow, any plans?" Otacon said while stirring his drink.

"Apply for a new I-D; get some stuff from the store then sleep." Snake slurred.

Meryl giggled. "Sounds good to me!"

Otacon grinned at Snake in a sickened way.

Otacon took his drink and walked off to the bathroom and caught sight of himself in the mirror, he saw he was becoming unshaven and made a mental note to shave later.

He then felt a pain from his back to his stomach; he lifted his polo-neck sweater and saw a large mark on his stomach where he hit himself on the table earlier. He pulled his sweater off and unbuttoned his shirt and saw bruises all down his neck.

"Admiring yourself..?" Came Meryl's voice from behind him.

"Ohhh, ahhhh. no, I just seem to be looking alittle rough round the edges..." He joked.

"Can't let that happen or I'll end up looking like him.." he added as he pointed to Snake.

"Hey, where did you get all those marks, You've hurt yourself?" Meryl said with concern.

"Ohh, I seem to have hurt my back, it'll be ok" Hal said as he buttoned back up his shirt.

"Ohh, Dave can fix that! When I threw my back...well, when HE threw my back he reset it, he can do that if you've slipped something."

"He threw your back..?!" he said with a raised eyebrow, while thinking that they seemed to be a match made in heaven in the violence stakes.

"Hehe! don't worry It was my fault anyway..." She giggled.

Otacon walked back into the living room. "So you fix backs then?" he said with a grin.

"Sometimes..." Snake grunted. "Well! that's me done for the night, I'm out." Snake said as he got up, threw the magazine on the table and walked to his room.

Otacon leaned back in the chair, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Meryl caught sight of this and sat down next to him.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly.

"Yea,yea. Why?" he said as he tried to look away.

"I know you, very well. And I can tell that something's wrong, you've been edgy and nerve-wrecked since you arrived..." She said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"You would tell me if something were wrong? I mean, is it the group? Or your girlfriend or your works?" She asked as she scanned his face.

"Meryl, it's nothing I can't handle.." He said as he carefully brushed her hand away without it being obvious.

Otacon got up and walked to his room and slumped on the bed. He stared at his case on the floor knowing he would soon have to pack to leave.

A tear ran down his face as he thought of the prospect of a life alone so far away. He removed his glasses and put his face in his hands as he felt the now familiar pain in his heart.

He just couldn't understand why his lover treated him like this and why he could not just leave Meryl and come to live together in New York.

Otacon dried his eyes and got his laptop out to watch some comedy anime to cheer himself up.

After a few hours he got tired and powered down his laptop. he thought about making a snack before he went to bed but didn't want to wake anyone else up.

Otacon threw back the covers on the bed Meryl made for him; he knew he would miss these lovely warm fur bed covers. Then he heard quiet a knock on the door. He turned around expecting to see Meryl still up, but turned to see Snake standing by the door.

Otacon's eyes widened and he started to blush. "David!.I thought you were tired"

"Well...I am, are you?" Snake said in a husky tone.

"Well, I was..." Hal stammered."...Look, Dave...I'm not looking forward to flying back." He continued.

"Why?"

"I just see...nothing. Everything's bleak, everything Grey." Hal said in a near silent tone.

"I'll be there next month and stay for three months. You remember that suspicious lead we got on a Tanker that had rumors of a Russian involvement? Well we have a few more leads now." Snake said as he lent against the door.

"What?! Ahhhh, really?!" Otacon couldn't believe what he was hearing and mentally cursed at himself for ever doubting the man he loved."...but, I have to find a place for you and Meryl to stay!but, I don't have that much money...but I'll think of something! I can always-"

"Meryl won't be there for the most part; she'll join a couple of months in but doesn't want to get involved as she thinks the leads aren't solid enough." Snake said while looking down pensively.

"So...you're going to be coming out to mainland more often?" Hal asked while still thinking he had passed out and this was a dream.

"Well, I promised I would..." Snake added casually as he flicked the light off.

"If my stomach didn't hurt so much I'd jump for joy." Hal said as he readjusted his glasses trying to see in the room which was only lit by the light of the large fire.

"Ohh yea,...what's wrong with your back?" he said while walking up to Hal.

"Ohh, I hit it on the table at the club remember?" Otacon said sadly. "I guess I bruise like an old woman.." Snake walked up to him, griped the front of his shirt and ripped it open. Otacon stood still in a mixture of shock and exhilaration.

Snake walked around him slowly with Otacon looking to each side as he walked past.

"So...where does it hurt?" Snake said under his breath as he walked to Hals side.

"Hmmm...Here and, my...back." Hal pointed to the large mark made by the corner of the table.

Otacon's shirt was starting to fall down his slender shoulders. He felt Snake's hand tracing a line on his back, feeling and pressing certain areas. Hal could feel himself becoming hard with the caring touch of the man he loved.

"Ok, this might hurt alittle." Snake whispered.

The words snapped Hal out of his daydream. "What?!" he said as he span around to face Snake. He was concerned incase Snake was not completely sobered up and didn't want a joint broken.

"You've somehow slipped your disk, now stand still." Snake walked back behind him.

"How much will this hurt?" Hal asked nervously.

"You've had worse..."Snake grinned as he held one of Otacon's arms up and flattened his back with his hand and held him into a position.

"Well...that was different.." Hal stammered.

"Well you'll get that too in a minute.." Snake said as suddenly knee'd Hal in the back.

"AHHHH!" Hal screamed loudly as he fell to the floor in pain.

Otacon was on his hands and knees as the pain dyed down. He was then aware his back felt loser rather than stiff and painful.

Snake offered his hand down to Otacon to help him up.

"Well...it certainly worked..." Hal said shyly before throwing his arms around Snake's waist.

"Listen David, if we leave with a goodbye after everything that's happened and you treat me like a leper, I swear to god I'm going to kill myself.." Otacon said seriously as he stared into the larger mans light green eyes.

"Drama queen" Snake said as he gave him a normal lop-sided grin.

Otacon held him tightly not wanting the moment to end. he inhaled deeply to smell the strong body spray of his lover as he gripped the material of Snakes tight black top.

"I can't believe how fast this week has gone by, there's so much I have to do" Otacon said as he held Snakes hand firmly.

"Yeah, You do have a lot to do." Snake said as he put a hand on Hals shoulder then forced his hand down wards, taking Hal by surprise.

After Hal fell to his knees, Snake put one hand on Hal's head while he undid the front of his clothes with his other.

Otacon knew he must have done something very right if Snake wanted more and was happy to put all his energy and enthusiasm into it.

He knew his lover probably wanted him to suck on him like he did in the bar. Although Otacon had never done it before, it was all new to him but it all felt so right, so natural. So far all his encounters were all new experiences and he loved each one.

He made a mental note to himself to hopefully teach him alittle more about foreplay. He knew he certainly didn't behave that way to Meryl who he seemed to spend ages buttering up, whispering sweet things to and taking the time to get her ready. He didn't understand why he was expected to be ready at a moments notice.

He still wanted to give him a experience that would be distinctive and with any luck have him come back for more, no-matter what he had to do, the end justified the means. He felt he'll work on the finer things later; all he cared about now was giving him the best sexual experiences of his life.

Otacon held his lovers shaft at the base which was academic as Snake had a firm grip on the hair on the top of his head and used it to pull Hal over to the direction he wanted while mumbling the occasional direction under his breath.

Hal was eager to please him and was ecstatic that it was happening. He loved being submissive to the bigger man and would look up every now and then for more guidance.

He obediently sat on his knees at one point while his head was held back by the scruff of his long hair, with his mouth open as his lover rubbed his length over his tongue before he continued sucking it along the underneath and up and down.

Otacon heard music in his head again as he was pulled back and forth, He felt he was very near to orgasm himself as he sucked on his lover often wondering if his partner was circumcised as is common in the military, or if he was at birth. He found his mind wondered over details of the man standing over him as he tried to delay his own climax.

He felt the grip on his hair loosen and Snake mumbled something which he thought sounded like 'come over here please' but it was too unclear to be sure. Snake helped him up and lent him over the table, Hal could feel his lovers hips grind up against his as he forced him into a submissive position.

Hal gripped the corner of the table near the wall, he considered asking for something to make the encounter more comfortable but he just didn't want it to stop, he was in a dream come true, the world was no-longer gray and the music was deafening to the slender man who by now doubted his sanity.

Otacon felt Snake's hands run down his sides then felt him pull back and put his right hand on his back and felt his left hand behind his knees.

Hal felt himself get picked up. Snake carried him over to the bed and laid him down on the fur cover. Hal looked up at his lover who had a red glow by the firelight.

Snake climbed on top of Hal kissing his neck as he undid the front of his shirt.

Otacon was transfixed staring at Snake who had his hands behind his back pulling off the sleeves of his shirt, and by the clinking sounds made by the two small necklaces Snake was wearing.

As he lay there on the warm fur bed with Snake kissing him, he squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed the covers under him. He bit his bottom lip as he felt the first push of his lover entering into his body.

Hal grabbed Snakes waist as he was being pushed up and down on the bed with Snakes necklaces nearly hitting him in the face but more often than not clinking on his glasses.

He lifted his hands to Snakes back which he felt was damp with sweat and gripped him tightly.

Otacon squeezed his eyes shut as his previous injuries caused a burning sensation deep within him; the pain was nearly intolerable for the slender programmer as he silently cried out.

His lover must have noticed the pained expression on his face as he slowed his rhythm and lent down to kiss him. Hal though was torn between pleasure and pain with tears falling down from the corner of his eyes to his ears as he begged his lover for more.

He urged his lover on and wanted to taste him again. His mind was so consumed by the thought of swallowing his load he felt himself orgasm to the thrusts of his lovers hips.

Hal cried out almost in pain as Snake quickly covered his mouth but kept his rhythm at the same speed. Hals climax was heightened by his immobility and lack of breath as he fell limply on the bed completely exhausted but for-filled beyond his dreams. He no longer even cared about the pain he was in, he was happy just to lay there until his lover was finished with his body.

Hal placed his arms around Snake who was still thrusting in and out of him with increasing speed. The fire was dying down and Hal could no longer see too clearly even with his glasses on.

He felt his lover start to breathe heavily as he neared his own end.

Otacon heard Snake sigh as his body seized up and released, he breaths became deep again and he stayed motionless with his eyes shut and his mouth slightly open until his silent orgasm had passed and his breath returned.

"David..." Otacon whispered as Snake got off him and stood up by the bed.

"Huh?"

"Don't leave me...please stay...just tonight..." Hal said barely managing to release the sounds as words.

Snake shook his head slowly.

"Here..." Hal said as he passed the towel he stole from the hotel to Snake so he could dry the sweat that covered him.

Snake wiped himself off and walked into the shower room. Hal held the towel close as if it were a religious relic.

Otacon lay there naked in the bed, the feeling of all the warm fur around him and his pure bliss caused the release of so much dopamine and adrenalin that he hardly felt the extreme pain he was in.

**Please Click To Next Chapter: The Shock!**

**READERS NOTE! Sorry for the wait but I had to rewrite this chapter as I really wasn't satisfied with it. And keeping people in character is very important! I double checked some scenes from the game on You Tube to make sure the vocabulary's were in character too (I suffer for my art, even though I know all the Metal gear backwards lol) - Also the spell checker on this thing seems to be wrecked but for now it seems good enough to release :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Split Personalitys - Chapter VIII : The Shock!**

Otacon lay in his bed thinking over the events of the past few days. He thought over what had just happened as well.

David sought him out.

That was a nice change.

Hal knew the next morning he wanted to go get a few supplies from town and he always wanted to know how much renting a small place out here in Alaska would cost.

If David wasn't going to come to him long-term, he would have to come to David. Hal was too tired to do or even think any more and he fell asleep.

Early the next morning Hal awoke with a start and was pleasantly surprised that for the first time in his life he could see clearly as soon as he opened his eyes!

He then realized he had slept with his glasses on and moved to get out of his warm comfy bed. As soon as he moved he felt a pain so strong it stopped him in his tracks.

As he went to pull the large fur piece back over the bed he noticed a small blood stain where he was sleeping, he looked down his legs to find a few small streaks of dried blood.

Covering the bed, he put on his robe and walked into the shower room and turned on the shower to heat as he practically limped to the kitchen.

He saw Meryl making up a breakfast that looked more like a small meal. Meryl was standing up at the cooker with her red hair pulled back with a band. She was wearing a small vest and pedal pushers, Hal sarcastically noticed she didn't really need a bra and wondered if it made much of a difference when she wore one.

"Wow! That looks like a full meal" Hal squeaked in between spasms of pain.

"Ohh, most of this is for Dave, he likes a big breakfast. What are you doing up so early Hal?" Meryl queried.

"I ahhhh wanted a shower." He stammered.

"Are you okay? You look terrible" Meryl said as she stopped stirring her cooking and stared at Otacon.

"Thankyou, Meryl.." he answered as he squeezed his eyes shut every so often.

"Well that's it! You're getting some of this now!" She said as she got a extra plate out. "-..I can't have you waste away on my watch!"

"Well first I need my shower, then I'll eat, and then I want to go to town" Hal said as he got up.

Hal went and got into the shower. The hot water felt so comforting as he checked himself carefully and made a mental note to use lots of his cream as his injuries hadn't healed and were now worse. He also decided to pick up some lubricant some time so that it would make encounters far more comfortable, far less risky and a lot less painful.

He wondered if his lover ever considered what it felt like and if he had ever experienced anything like it. Did he know exactly what Hal went through to give himself so totally to his lover without preparation and without any reservation?

Hal wasn't complaining to himself, he was grateful and happy, and in his ideal world he would give himself over to his lover every night, but having anal sex was a new experience for Hal, and it was something he was still learning about. He was a willing recipient and loved the sensation, but there was still so much to learn.

He noticed last night was very different, He remembered that Snake was relatively tender to him...under the circumstances. It reaffirmed his love for him He felt things may finally be taking a turn for the better.

Hal finished his shower and made his way back to the kitchen while towel drying off his shoulder length hair. As he walked to the door he overheard Meryl talking to Snake, who had just awoken and joined Meryl in the kitchen.

"There you go, just as you like..." She said as she put the plate down in front of him.

"Hmm, Thanks Meryl" Snake said in a breathy tone.

"Don't worry, it'll cost ya" She said as she winked at him.

"Ohh? Are you feeling frisky then?" He grinned to her.

"I'm always feeling frisky! Or haven't you noticed over the past five months" She said as she sat on his lap.

"Remind me to always 'buy' my breakfasts off you more often then.." Snake added as he picked up his coffee mug.

Hal walked in and sat at the table picking at his food too distracted by the woman who was sitting on, and feeling up HIS boyfriend.

"Morning again Hal" she said cheerfully. Hal just waved his hand in reply.

"Are you alright?" Snake asked.

"Hmmm, alright I guess, I have to go to the village today to pick a few things up." Hal stammered.

"Ohh? I have to fix one of the electric stand-by heaters before I do anything today or Meryl will have to rely on the radiators for warm clothes in the morning." Snake answered.

"And as you all know I'm no fan of the cold!" Meryl cut in.

* * *

After breakfast Hal got dressed and made his plans to get a place to stay out here. Hal walked back to the living room and put on his full length cream colored trench coat and thick scarf.

Otacon walked over to Snake who was checking over his dogs after having fed them.

"Dave..." Hal reached out to touch his shoulder, hesitated and then made contact with him. Snake turned around to face him.

"When are you flying out to New York?" Hal asked him quietly.

"Well, I haven't looked at dates yet...why?"

"I kinda wanted to know, the wait will seem like forever.."Hal said as he knelt down and stroked one of the dogs.

"You'll get over it" Snake grinned as he slapped Hal on his rear as he got up.

"Will you miss me?" Hal looked up at his lover for the verbal reassurance.

".Ofcourse.." Snake said in his distinctive monotone as he rinsed out the dogs bowls.

Hal made a fragile smile. Then pushed his glasses up as he stood up beside his lover.

"Well, I'll pop out...I'll...be right back." Hal said insecurely while walking up to snake hoping for a hug.

Snake turned to him as he was standing right next to him and ran his hand threw Hals hair then walked away.

* * *

It took Otacon about a hour to reach the village and he made inquiries around to find out how he could secure a place here.

He also called back to New York to see how everyone was and to make sure Mei Ling and Natasha had everything under control in his absence. He was intent on making changes to his and Snakes life. He knew he would be a far better homemaker then Meryl was.

Everytime they had lived in close quarters during missions it was Hal who cooked, cleaned, did the laundry and generally had everything ready for Snake when he got in. He didn't really approve of the bohemian lifestyle Snake and Meryl were living out in Alaska.

He wanted to give Snake more structure and wanted to accommodate him and share interests in life. He thought that for most the time Snake was bending to the will of her interests.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the Cabin-house, Snake had taken the heater apart and was trying to repair it with some plans he found on the internet. Meryl walked in and sat on the bed with her large coffee mug and watched him comparing what was on the screen to what he had on the foldout table in bits.

"Dave, I'm a little concerned.." She started.

"Uhh? About?" Snake answered while holding up a part.

"About Hal...have you noticed...he's sort of...not himself." She said as she looked up.

"Well...yea, He does seem...confused and upset most the time" Snake replied.

"The poor man is tormented by something, I can tell! I know him sooo well." Meryl said with a tinge of sadness

"Well Meryl, He spends all day studying and all night watching cartoons on his laptop. I think he needs to unwind a little"

"Well yea, but he's normally so creative and clever and really funny..-" Meryl noted."-and I think he needs a partner in life. I mean, it's important! Though he's never really shown much interest in going out and meeting girls. In fact I didn't even know he had a girlfriend until he told me last week..."

"Well, He tried explaining to me something about a cartoon thing he was watching on his laptop, something about hot water making a boy a girl and another boy a piglet, and cold water reversing it all, If I watched stuff like that all day...I'd be confused too!" Snake grinned.

"But he really worships you like a brother and you seem to tease him terribly about everything! You wouldn't think that you two are practically the same age the way you carry on...-" She giggled "-...Who are the grown-ups now?"

Snake grunted as a reply.

"I think he needs to get laid, that'll straighten him out! or is that a poor choice of words..." She laughed.

Snake grinned while he turned around to glance at her as she was sitting up while leaning back on her hands, kicking her legs out every now and then.

"Seriously!" She said as she picked up a pillow and threw it at Snakes back."-You should always listen to me! I know best!" She joked.

"...Behave Meryl..." He joked as he turned to look at her. She grinned back at him leaning back with her legs spread kicking the end of the bed. He stared at her a moment feeling himself become aroused almost instantly then turned back to the computer screen.

She pulled off her small orange vest and threw it at his back and undid the tie on her red hair. He turned to look at her, saw her grinning back while topless trying to stifle a laugh while covering her mouth with her hand girlishly.

He dropped the bits he was holding and walked over to her leaning down to kiss her. She pulled at his clothes and pulled off his top as he reached down, pulling off her underwear.

He knelt down on one knee before her spreading her legs slightly. He put one hand on her hips and moved her left leg over his right shoulder.

She sighed as she ran her hand through his thick brown hair as he leant in between her legs and tasted her sticky sweet natural lubricant. She fell backwards onto the bed, drawing up her right leg as her partner gave her oral sex.

Meryl pulled him up on top of her as he grabbed her wrists and held her arms up above her head as she wrapped her legs around his small waist as he undid the front of his clothes, taking his fully aroused length into his hand and lining his hips up against hers.

They moaned in unison as she moved against him slowly as he gripped her hips, he moved his own hips in a steady slow rhythm in time to her. Meryl grabbed his waist under his arms and pulled him to the side, rolling him under her so she was on top.

She looked down and grinned at him about her victory as she leaned back moving up and down on him with increasing speed as he reached down to touch her, stimulating her and making her hungry for more.

He grinned at her then pulled her side suddenly to roll her underneath him again. Meryl shrieked half in a laugh as it was misjudged and they both fell off the side of the bed while still joined at the hips.

"Hey!" She said as she hit him because he landed on top of her. He just smiled and raised an eyebrow. She kissed his neck as he moaned loudly in breathy sounds while making love to her.

* * *

Meanwhile some time later Otacon got home and walked into the kitchen area and put down his bag as he noted the living area where everyone always was empty.

Then he saw all the dogs excitedly come to greet him while barking and fussing over him.

Meryl was holding onto the metal bar on the head of the bed as Snake held her back up suportingly and carefully as he moved against her with speed as she beckoned him to go faster and harder as she reached her climax.

He knew from her grip on him that she meant it this time as they would normally bring each other up to the point then just not push the other over into the sweet oblivion.

Meryl however was far past that point and she cried out as she climaxed while gripping him tightly. Snake became vaguely aware of the dogs barking in the background but was lost in his own imminent release and at this point he frankly didn't care.

Their door was shut anyway, and he knew he had latched it. The world became a blur of sound and colors to Snake as he came inside her, moaning loudly and desperately trying to recapture his breath.

They lay next to each other whispering sweet remarks to each other as they embraced each other's damp body.

Otacon was beyond disgust and rage because he heard Meryl even over the dogs barking. He sat at the table his eyes wide and his mind in a maddened state as he stared into space.

He got up and searched through the drawers for the sleeping tablets and flipped his laptop open to read up the details about the powerful sedative drug Zopiclone that he was now in possession of.

He didn't want to do anything dangerous so he studied the dose ratios and effects. He also found a small container of Lithium a strong Anti-depressant; He read the details on the side and stared at the patient name David Sears.

* * *

After a couple of hours, Otacon knocked on Meryl's bedroom door.

Meryl answered dressed in her night robe as she squinted while her eyes adjusted to the light. "Ohh! you're home Hal, how long have I been asleep..." She asked as she looked at the clock.

"Well dinners ready!...I ahhh, thought I would make myself useful to you both while I'm still here and make something to eat, so get stuck in! I'll go get Dave" Hal said as indifferent as he could as Meryl went into the shower room.

Hal walked into the dark room which was only lit by the strip of light that fell in from the hallway. He saw the form of his lover who was naked, on his side fast asleep.

He sat on the edge of the bed as he looked at his features, his face looked so peaceful though Hal did consider slapping him but couldn't bring himself to do that to his lover.

Hal shook him gently while whispering his name. Snake stirred and rolled onto his back. Hal leaned down and kissed him, and then nearly gagged as he tasted the vaguely familiar taste of a woman, he wiped his mouth.

Snake opened his eyes surprised to see Hal sitting next to him and he sat up quickly to look around him for Meryl.

"She's in the shower.." Hal said quietly.

"Ohh?"

"Yea, anyway. C'mon dinners on the table." Hal said smiling.

Hal walked back into the kitchen and as he stood in front of the cooker pulled apart two sleeping capsules and emptied them into one of the plates.

Meryl got out of the shower and sat at the table in her bath robe with her hair in a towel. Snake joined them as Hal brought over two plates.

"Ahh! That one's yours..." as he put one of the plates in front of Snake.

"'This' ones mine?" Snake queried as he looked up at Hal.

"Yes,...It's the one I spat in..." Hal said as he smiled at Snake and sat down next to him.

Snake continued to stare at Otacon in an uncomfortable way that was almost comical even for his serious facial features.

Meryl giggled hysterically. "I tell you,...You two really! I sometimes don't know if its love or hate." She smiled.

"Oohhh! It's Love..." Hal said in a romantic tone while holding both of his hands up to his heart as Snake kicked him under the table then quickly turned to Meryl and smiled.

"Ehh, What am I going to do with him..." Snake laughed off to Meryl in a deep but funny tone.

* * *

After dinner Meryl collected all the dishes and started to wash them all up.

Snake grabbed Hals arm and lead him away to the living room and shoved him forward in front of the fireplace.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing..?!" Snake said in a serious monotone while stretching his syllables in an unfriendly manner.

"Ouch..." Hal whined as he rubbed his arm. "-...I could ask you the very question Dave..."

"Meaning?" Snake snarled at him.

"Meaning, that the moment...-" Hal paused trying to compose himself. "-The moment my back is turned, you whore yourself out to her and it's disgusting!" He tried to say without his voice breaking up.

"What are you talking about?" Snake said as he crossed his arms.

"You know what I'm talking about!! You can't just do what you want. Are you trying to sabotage our relationship?!" Hal said while trying to sound as forceful as he could.

"Relationship?!" Snake scoffed in reply.

"And will you stop repeating me?!" Hal implored with his eyes steaming up. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"You know you're really giving me a headache.." Snake added as he lent against the wall.

"What about everything else I give you...?" Hal said as he turned away.

"Ohhh change the record Hal..." Snake said in an irritated tone.

"Ohh! it's a record now is it?-" He said in a disappointed tone. "-..You're out of control Dave. It wasn't a 'record' last night"

Meryl walked in with one of the dogs following her. She glanced at Hal and Dave standing in front of the fire staring at each other.

"What are you two up to?" She said is a sleepy tone.

"NOTHING!" Otacon and Snake both said in unison while still staring at each other.

Meryl stumbled to the doorway and lent agaisnt the frame. "I'm sooo...tired..." She mumbled.

"Are you alright?" Snake asked with concern after rushing over to support her. He carefully walked her into their room.

"Yes,...I think so...just sooooo...sleepy..-" Her words cut off as she climbed into the bed.

Snake checked her forehead for fever before pulling the covers over her.

"Get some sleep, it's quite late anyway." He said as he turned off the table light.

Snake was putting down food for the dogs as Otacon went to the shower room to run himself a bath.

Hal walked back into the kitchen to get his coat. He stared at Snake tending the dogs.

"When we stayed in Manhattan I looked after you...-" Hal said as he picked up his long coat. Snake rolled his eyes in response.

"I did all the cooking, cleaning, washing, emptying the ashtrays YOU left everywhere..." Hal continued. "-...What do you say to that?"

"Hmmm, thank you..?" Snake replied trying to sooth the programmers escalating temper.

"You know, You're so inconsiderate Dave..!" Hal grabbed his coat and stormed out of the room.

"What is this all of a sudden...?" Snake said as he followed Hal into his room.

"You don't show me enough affection...you pick me up and drop me at will..." Hal started to sob.

"Nooo.." Snake stretched the word in half a sigh.

"Yes!" Hal said sharply while staring at him for a moment before marching out to the bathroom to check his water.

"Have your hormone levels just dropped sharply Hal?" Snake asked while leaning against the wall.

His reply was the bathroom door slammed in his face.

"What, is this thing with doors around here..." Snake said in a low guttural tone.

* * *

After a short while Hal sat in the bath thinking over what he was going to do. He wasn't going to get his lover get way with his shameless behavior and wanted to get some understanding of what their life together was going to be like.

He realized that as long as Meryl was around, she would be appealing to all Snakes worst traits. Hal loved Meryl very much, they were best friends.

But he couldn't stomach this situation, and he resolved he would have to try and take more of a firm stance with his lover.

Hal was lost in thought as he heard a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in its unlatched.." Hal said as he pulled the screen closed.

To his surprise snake walked in and knelt next to the bath and tapped on the screen. "Ohh! Hi.." Hal blushed.

Snake handed him a large cup of coffee.

"For me?" Hal asked with surprise.

"Uhh-ha" Snake replied, then handed him a small plate with a sandwich on it.

"You made this..?...for me?" Hal stammered as he grabbed his glasses off the side and put them them on.

"Hmm Yeah, Consideration on a plate." Snake answered.

Otacon was so touched by snakes little display any resolve he had to be firm with him melted away.

_'What if this is one of his wild stunts? /Is he just trying to keep me 'sweet'? /...no way! He loves me! /Surely he's not planning to keep Meryl AND me on the go?!/...if he is that's just wrong on so many levels and he'd just be a pervert! /Doesn't he ever get enough? / What is he thinking?!/well this proves he cares about my feelings..._

_**Please Click To Next Chapter: Otacon's clever solution **_


	9. Chapter 9

**Split Personalitys - Part IX : Otacon's clever solution!**

Otacon Stared at Snake who was sitting with his knees up to his chin while leaning against the cold tiles of the wall next to the bath.

"You, even cut the crusts off for me..." Hal said excitedly. "-...this is soo thoughtful of you..." he tried to stop his eyes watering up.

"Nah, it's nothing" Snake shrugged.

"David, I did mean what I said earlier..." Hal said solemnly.

"Which part...?" Snake asked quietly.

"Dave, I'm going insane here...I really can't understand what's going on..." Hal continued as he ate his sandwich.

Snake kept his eyes fixed on the floor.

"It seems like I'll always be second best..." He said as he reached out to touch Snakes hand.

"Nah, that's not true..." Snake answered, and then he noticed the marks on Hal's neck and on the front of his chest. "-..How did you get those?"

"Oh I think I must bruise easy. These aren't the ones that hurt most though, which reminds me. I'm not a woman; you can't treat me like one." Hal said as he started to rinse his hair.

"Huh?!" Snake grunted as he got up and sat on the edge of the bath and pulled Hals wet hair to the side to look at his neck.

"You want to know what hurts most...?" Hal said in a quiet yet serious tone.

"What?"

"This..." Hal answered as he pointed to where his heart is.

Hal lowered his head as Snake helped him rinse off his hair. Hal looked at Snake balanced on the edge of the bath.

"So then, what exactly are you here for..?" He asked Snake.

"What do you mean?" Snake replied on a husky tone.

"Well, you're actually giving me the time of day. I don't believe you came in here to help me wash my hair." Hal said with a note of sadness to his voice.

Snake got up to leave and Hal grabbed his leg.

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that"

"Then speak fast..." Snake said bluntly.

"What do you think of me?" Hal asked

"Why are you asking me this?"

"To get an answer..."Hal implored.

"Well - I think you're...very talented." Snake said uncomfortably.

"I didn't ask for my C.V. I asked for what you thought of me...personally." Otacon asked while drying his glasses off.

Snake walked back to the bath and sat on the edge. "...I think you're...great." he said.

"Okay, that's a little better. But I'm sure you can manage better than that." Hal said.

"Huh?"

"Well you don't exactly have sex with someone you don't care for" Hal answered as he looked to Snake who was staring at the floor.

Otacon found Snakes Silence almost deafening.

"Dave, Can you pass me the bath towel?" Hal sighed as he asked in an impatient manner.

Snake passed him the bath towel. Hal took it then shut the shower screen while he dried himself off.

Otacon realized that if he was ever going to be taken seriously by his lover he would have to take a few stands.

He decided that no matter how painful it was, He wasn't going to jump to Snakes wayward behavior. Even if it meant turning down his attention or even affections, the very rare moments that he ever gave them.

Otacon opened the screen and stepped out all wrapped up in towels to collect his clothes, he walked right by Snake and went into his room.

Otacon waited to see if Snake would follow him into his room, but from what he could hear Snake went into the kitchen. His heart started to ache, he was desperate to be held, he longed to be kissed, but he knew he had to fight these impulses for the greater good.

As if on que Snake knocked on his door afew minutes after. Hal quickly moved away from the door where he was listening and started to towel dry his hair by the fire.

"Well, I've been thinking..." Snake said quietly as he walked in. "-...If I make you feel so bad maybe we shouldn't be in the same group."

Otacon's mind started to race. This wasn't good and the plan was backfiring...badly.

Was Snake out-thinking him, he could never be sure. After all he wasn't dealing with any ordinary man.

"Ohh no! You don't make me feel bad per Se, Just when you two time me." Hal said.

"Two time you?!...what?!" Snake said with uncomfortable shock.

"I want just a little bit of commitment from you...-" Hal asked

"What?! What kind of crap are you talking?!"

"Well! If you REALLY don't understand what I'm saying then...just,...just,...You Go back to her and leave me alone! I'm not putting out for you tonight Dave, if that's what you're after..." Hal snapped back, even though his mouth and his heart were saying two very different things.

"What the hell makes you think I want anything like that from you?!"

"Aww! that's a low blow. Don't worry; I've already understood you don't want to be seen to want me. Even though in the city no-one would care how we lived and none of our work or social group would ever find out anyway...I wouldn't say anything..."Hal said as he saw a look of horror on Snakes face.

Snake walked up to Hal and pointed in his face in a aggressive manner. "Why don't you just go out on that...gay scene in the city and get a boyfriend then?".

"Because! I'm as interested in finding a man as you are! I told you, I'm not interested in men! something,...amazing...just seems to have developed between us, And from what I can see you're just not emotionally equipped to deal with the implications of it..." Hal said as he raised his voice.

Hal knew Meryl was out cold after he drugged her, he just wanted to shock Snake into listening to him.

"Well...that's crap" Snake grunted as he walked towards the door.

"Well...would it hurt you if I did find someone else..?"

Snake stood still and silent in the doorway with his back to Otacon.

"I do know one thing, you're the man for me and if I can't have you then there's no point in even looking for another. Only you make me feel the way I do. I know that somewhere deep down you love me too..." Hal said.

Snake walked out to the kitchen without even replying.

Otacon sat on the bed. He could feel he was about to cry after yet another painful verbal exchange with his lover. He just didn't understand why Snake felt the need for the secrecy and outright denial. Even if the first time was a total freak incident, why come back for more? And there was no mistaking how much he enjoyed it.

Every time they had been intimate after the first drunken moment. Snake had been practically loving by his standards.

Their kisses were passionate and deep, the way he stroked his hair and caressed face in such a loving manner. Hal thought how he only seems to get more aggressive when he's near his own release.

Otacon knew deep down Snake had no apparent interest in other men that he could see, but he always came to the same conclusion:

_'Snake loves me and I just happen to be a man. It's as easy as that. Just my luck to fall in love with a reluctant straight man who can't cope with his feelings...'_

Hal took his glasses off and buried his face in his hands as all the pain and rejection came flooding back to his mind as the tears fell down his face. He even considered returning home and throwing himself into work, to just try to forget the whole thing.

What kind of life would Hal have anyway? He thought about a life without Snake and it hurt too much to even contemplate further. What if he did find a woman and fall in love?

He would always long for the intense feelings and sensations he had when he relinquished his body to Snake. The internal feelings deep inside, the intense orgasms, all coming from being entered, in the kind of love that can only happen between two men.

He researched anal sex online; read about how a loving partner makes all the difference, good preparation and lots of time, lubrication and foreplay make it enjoyable and very intense.

He personally loved the feeling, though he was seldom prepared and had no time with his lover to explain or experiment, and being in a lock-hold never helps much.

He did however buy some lubricant in the town as since it was a experience he certainly wanted to practice as much as possible with his lover, he decided it was best to read up on preparations and advice.

Coupling this with Snakes natural aggression made it enjoyable, edgy and dangerously intense.

But he always found himself badly hurt after, he thought in time it would get easier. The pleasure he received and gave far out-weighed the pain that he was happy to suffer in silence.

That last time by the light of the fire was different. He was on his back on the bed perfectly comfortable. Snake was slow, passionate and asked him regularly how it was feeling.

Hal knew from the change of speed and sometimes the inaction, Snake had somehow picked up on when he was in pain, though throughout he was kissed and caressed the whole time while in his lovers embrace. It was heaven.

Hal only wished he would be lovingly spoken to during it. Okay, it was alright to just have some course directions or language if it was more a lustful encounter against the clock, but if it was a romantic night spent together, as they did that night, He longed to be told anything sweet.

He loved the tone of voice his lover used during sex; He has a distinctive voice at the best of times. But during those moments it was little more than a husky whisper in between his sighs and guttural moans.

But when he spoke, he spoke with conviction and love.

He had often whispered into his ear, how beautiful he found Hal, then make some commentary about a area of his body that he found to be 'perfect'.

There was no denying at all that he found Hal to be physically attractive and that he was aroused to the point of wanting make love to him and enter his body any way he could.

In their private moments, He thought it didn't seem to bother his partner that this was a homosexual instinct, but Hal believed that the kind of love they felt for each other was the very same love that a man would feel for a woman.

* * *

Snake must have over heard his crying as he walked by the room and walked in with a look of measured shock on his face. He put his cup down on the table and sat on the bed next to Hal.

"Hal, Please...don't cry." Snake whispered. He had never seen Hal cry before and it drove a stronger message home to him than any one of Hal's plans.

"I just can't help it,...I've just had enough..." Hal whispered in between sobs.

Snake put his arms around the slender man. He felt Hal's body shake as he sobbed onto his chest leaving a damp patch on the front of Snake's top.

"Hal,...Please stop crying.." Snake asked as he rubbed Hal's back and kissed the top of his head.

"You don't care about me...I only ever get in your way..." Hal said in between sobs.

"If I didn't care then I'm wasting my time here..." Snake said factually.

"I just want a straight answer out of you..." Hal whispered as he looked up at his lover.

"What's the question..?" Snake replied.

Hal dried his eyes and looked up to his friend. "Are you going to come to New York and stay with me?"

"I already said I would..."

"Yes but for how long?" Hal asked.

"For a couple of months" Snake answered as he stroked Hal's hair.

"Are you ever going to tell Meryl?"

Snakes eyes scanned the ceiling from right to left then fell back to the floor in a nervous fashion.

"Not that I want you to, kind of..." Hal muttered.

"Now, Let's see...how I would open that conversation..." Snake said in a comical tone.

"Just tell her straight." Hal said sensibly.

"She'll leave me.." Snake said quietly.

"But I won't Dave." Hal said as he put his arm around Snake. "In fact, I'm not sure what would make less sense to her. The fact that you actually cheated on her or, the fact that we're sleeping together."

Otacon paused to think about it for a moment. "Actually I think the fact that you cheated on her would be what upset her, because she seems very open minded to me..."

"She's not THAT open minded - Okay, you're not exactly reassuring me here." Snake answered.

"I just want to be part of your life.." Hal replied.

"You're already a part of my life" Snake answered as he lent down to look at his best friend and lover, whom he was cradling in his arms.

"A small part.." Hal said as he wiped his tears.

Snake rolled his eyes. "A big part..."

Otacon managed a weak laugh. He tiled his head upwards and put his right hand of Snakes cheek to motion him downwards.

They kissed slowly and deeply. Hal felt he would never want to come up for air, and he loved to explore his lover's mouth, though he noticed an absence of tobacco on Snake's breath.

He didn't know if he preferred it or not, it was almost like a signature to their kiss, and to Hal it was synonymous with the memories of their various encounters.

"Hmmm you don't taste of smoke..." Hal announced in between kisses.

"I haven't had the time to have one this evening, I'm about to go fix that in a moment or two before I head to bed anyway." Snake answered as he lifted his head up.

"Can you stay here with me at least one night?" Hal asked with a desperate tone.

"You know I can't."

"But, Meryl will be out for the night, she looked really tired to me." He said as Snake slowly let him go.

"Soon." Snake answered in a reassuring voice as he bent down to kiss Hal one last time before heading off to Smoke and then turn in for the night.

Hal thought about the time they spent together creating their Philanthropy group in Manhattan. They had to stay in a small downtown flat. Hal immediately assumed a role of running the household and generally looking after Snake.

He was already smitten by the quiet, secretive man that he now lived in close quarters with.

Hal would make sure he ate properly producing Delicious meals out of the few ingredients they had in between their food shopping trips. Snakes clothes were always clean; his personal products were always replaced when they ran low.

They were discovering life together. Debating over what to watch on TV that night, or what to eat, and where to go.

They slept in different rooms of course, but Hal would always check to make sure Snake wasn't smoking in bed like he sometimes did, and that he had enough covers on his bed. Snake seemed to tolerate Hals fussing over him.

Snake was comfortable around Hal and would almost enjoy the benefits of having a best friend, who also did all the work of a housewife, and Hal loved the role. It really appealed to him to have as lovely a home as they could in that little flat and to make sure his best friend was always well turned out.

Hal often wondered if at that time his friend had wanted more with him too.

Snake would often look at him and smile if a meal was particularly good, run a bath for him or would even bring him coffee when Hal had finally managed to sit down for the evening in front of his computer.

Hal also loved all the little things Snake would pick up for him, sometimes it was something for his computer, or he would but some Anime DVD that he thought Hal hadn't seen.

Hal would wait up for him every night when he was out late. He wished that he could throw his arms around him when he got back. He desperately wanted to let snake know how he felt, but he was so frightened of the repercussions that he didn't dare, even though he was certain he had read some of the few signals Snake was sending correctly.

He distinctively remembered the first time he realized how beautiful the larger man was to him and how his first few flushes of longing to be with him developed into a full blown love.

Snake had had a shower and walked into his room to change, he walked back into the living room of the small flat wearing a tight top and combat style trousers that hugged his tiny waist and wrapped around his firm hips and muscular thighs. It showed off his figure amazingly.

He wore a tight black sweater made of some kind of synthetic material which had a slight plastic-like shine to it. Hal was stunned by the strong smell of him and the sight of his house mates exercised body. Snake hardly had any body-fat percentage to speak of, and it showed in his arms, thighs and chest.

Hal used to watch the way he moved about the flat, his lop-sided manly walk, every move economical and graceful. Most of his lean muscle was visible through his clothes and Hal loved it, especially when he bent over to pick something up, his rear was round yet lean and it was all Hal could do not to stare.

The only times he felt more in awe of his friends body was during missions when he would wear a tight full-body sneak-suit which left nothing to the imagination and did up in various straps, corsets-type laces and such. Hal loved the slight hint of bondage that the clothes implied.

Hal put some more wood in the fire and climbed into his warm furry bed wondering if Snake was lying awake in bed on the other side of the wall, contemplating his slender friend.

Hal knew that he only had a few options left open to him in these final days in Alaska. He was going to have to keep Meryl drugged when it was convenient and possibly create some illness with the medication he had researched, and be on hand to 'help' and 'comfort' them. This way he would become indispensable to Snake and would have more time alone with him to finish his final plan.

**Please Click To Next Chapter: Meryl Realizes Something Is Very Wrong**

**(Don't Forget To Read And Review Please! just to let me know what you think :) )**


	10. Chapter 10

**Split Personalitys - Chapter X : Meryl realizes something is very wrong.**

Snake sat on the bed with a bowl of water and ice and rang out a facial towel, folded it carefully and placed it on Meryl's forehead.

"What's wrong sweetie...-" Snake asked in a deep and concerned tone.

Snake continued as he placed a damp towel on her forehead. "Meryl, its 14:47 and this is the first time you've been awake for hours."

"I,...I don't feel so good David..." Meryl said in a sleepy and dazed voice.

"How do you feel?" Snake asked as he stroked her red hair back.

"Numb...All my senses, my limbs, I feel like I'm watching my life from very far away...and I have terrible nausea..." Meryl mumbled.

A look of panic which he strained to control waved over his face as he looked at her dilated pupils and ashen skin which glistened with her sweat. He held her hand tightly as he wiped her face with the cold towel.

"Damn! I don't have anything in the house to give you. I'm going to call a doctor and have you air-lifted to a hospital on the mainland. I've never seen you like this." Snake said speaking in a breaking voice a little over a whisper.

"Hey, I'll be okay! No doctors just yet Dave, I think this is probably a twenty four hour thing...-" She added.

Meryl started before she felt a wave of nausea and stumbled out of the bed to dash to the bathroom, but her numb legs gave way and she fell limply to the floor.

Snake rushed to her side and held her up as she was sick on the floor.

"Ohhh, I'm so sorry..." Meryl said as she cradled her face in her hands.

"No, no its okay, I'll clean it up-" Snake assured her as he stood up and walked to her drawers to get some clean clothes for her.

"Lift your arms Meryl" He asked as he carefully lifted her top keeping the mess away from her skin as he pulled her top over her head.

"You know you're so gorgeous when you're sick everywhere..." Snake threw her a lop-sided grin as he scanned her eyes for any reaction to his joke.

"You're...gorgeous all the...time." she stumbled on her words as she tried to fight her numb, drowsy haze.

Snake embraced her as she leant forward to kiss him.

"I probably taste of sick.." she said in a embarrassed tone.

"It wouldn't even matter if you did." He replied as he pulled a large T-Shirt over her head.

"I want you so bad right now, but I can hardly lift my arms." She mumbled.

"Then it wouldn't be much fun anyway." He grinned.

He picked her up and placed her on the bed. "Are you in pain?" he asked as he felt her forehead.

"No, just this weird 'third-person in my own life' feeling.." Meryl tried to describe it.

"You have twenty four hours, if you're not better by then I'm having you taken to a hospital on the main land for proper treatment." He pointed at her as if it was an order.

"You're supposed to be my partner, not my father." She added with the hint of a warm smile.

Snake grunted in reply.

"Do you want anything at all? Any kind of food, or drinks?" He asked as he pulled some light covers over her.

"Just water, I really can't face food just now.."

"Well I'll pick you up some soup and fresh bottled water. I want to make sure your getting something into you." Snake said as he gave her the remotes to the TV and radio.

"Ohh, you can see to that later.." She grinned.

"Hmm you must be feeling better." He smiled.

"When will you be back?" Meryl asked in a saddened tone which showed her attachment to her lover.

"A.S.A.P" He smiled back as he cleaned the floor. "...Anyway Hal is around so feel free to use him as a maid." Snake added as he grinned.

Meryl shot him as stern a look as she could manage. "If I could I would throw this pillow at you! You're always picking on him." She laughed.

"I'll be three hours...tops."Snake lent down to kiss her.

"Hurry back! I may have something for you if you're quick..." She added as she flirted with him.

"Okay, make that two and a half hours." Snake said quickly while walking out of the room backwards.

Snake turned and walked out into the kitchen where Hal was on his laptop updating the Philanthropy site.

"If Meryl needs anything can you get it for her Hal?" Snake asked after he put food down for the dogs.

Hal got up from his PC and walked over to Snake and put his arms around his neck while holding him close.

"I will Dave." Hal said as Snake tilted his head to find Hals lips.

Hal griped him and turned the light gesture into a full on passionate kiss. Snake had to lightly unlock Hal's hands which were behind his neck.

"Don't be gone long Dave." Hal said as he slumped down on the chair in front of his PC.

After Snake left, Hal made Meryl a coffee and poured in less than a quarter of a capsule of the Zopiclone sedative which he had worked out as approximately 12.5 milligrams.

"Here you go, Coffee and toast..." Hal said as he put the tray on her lap as she sat up in bed.

"Aww! Thank you Hal, you're so dear. Though I really can't face any food just now." Meryl said in a tired tone as she pushed the small plate of toast away from her.

"Well ahhhhh, finish what you can." Hal said as he tapped her back.

Hal walked back into his room holding his laptop PC. He sat on the bed and held close the towel he stole from the hotel, he loved the way it smelt every bit like his lover.

It was a mixture of body spray, shower water and his natural scent. The urge to masturbate was strong, Hal had a lot of pent up stress and anxiety and needed quick relief.

He walked into the shower room and latched the door, he undid the front of his jeans knowing that this wouldn't take long at all the way he was feeling and by how turned on he was.

As he sat on the cold tiled floor stroking himself quickly up and down while thinking of his lover. He imagined how great it would feel to have Snake jerk him off while he fucked him; the thought alone nearly brought him to orgasm.

He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a quiet sigh of relief. He bent forward as his glasses fell from his face to the floor as he climaxed recalling the rough sex they had had together and how intense and deep the thrusts into him were as a thin stream of ejaculate ran down his hand.

He lay there with his eyes closed leaning against the cold tiled wall for a moment to recover. After wards he felt calm, relaxed and could think clearly again. He ran some cold water over his face then walked out and into to Snake and Meryl's bedroom.

He saw her fast asleep in the bed, he pulled the covers over her and made sure she was comfortable. He thought how pretty she looked laying there asleep. He looked on the bed table and saw a near full ashtray and a half-full packet of cigarettes.

He opened one of the drawers and had a peek inside. He was amazed how the drawer reflected reality; it was a mixture of the two people. He found Meryl's night cream, one of Snakes bandannas and a gun magazine showing the latest models.

Hal opened a drawer under it and found odds and ends belonging to them both, He knew you can learn a lot about a person or even a couple from things in their bedroom.

One thing that caught his eyes were that there were a lot of plastic cable ties in the drawer, a pair of scissors and a roll of thick tape. He wanted to satisfy his curiosity later and have a good look through the drawers when no-one was around.

* * *

Nearly two hours later Snake arrived back with lots of supplies, most of which he put on the kitchen table and walked into their room. He sat down next to the bed listening to her rhythmic breathing before gently nudging her.

She seemed in too much of a deep sleep to wake up just now so he went to the kitchen to heat up some food for her.

Hal walked into the kitchen and sat down next to the table. "What are you making Dave?" he asked.

"I'm heating up this soup, because it's easy to go down and easy to come back up if need be." Snake said practically as he kept stirring the soup while smoking.

"Yea she was awake earlier but said she felt too tired and went back to sleep. I think she has that virus that was going around." Hal added.

"Virus?" Snake queried as he turned to Hal.

"Yea, it makes you lose your appetite, sweat, feel sleepy and generally ill. it can last for afew weeks I heard." Hal said while staring into his computer screen.

"So, you've seen this before Hal?"

"Yea, a friend of mine got it too, He was out for six weeks" Hal said casually.

"What about Antibiotics?" Snake wondered.

"Nah, Ahhhh, Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections not viral ones." Hal said as he got up to go have a look at the soup.

"Well then...what about Anti-virals?" Snake cut in.

"Dave, she's a human not a PC. Anti virals won't help with these kinds of Viral infections because they mutate too quickly. Anyway, Anti-virals only really give symptomatic relief. There's no real cure for Viruses." Hal added as he stared at the fit of Snakes clothes as he stood with most of his weight on one leg.

"All I know is that if she's not better tomorrow she's going to the mainland hospital weather she wants to or not." Snake said firmly.

Snake poured the soup into a bowl and added some pieces of bread and a glass of orange juice, placed them all on a tray and took it to their room. He placed them on the table and sat down next to her while shaking her gently.

Meryl opened her eyes obviously in a daze. "Dave...you came back..." she said as she weakly smiled.

"Hehe, you sound almost surprised!" He said softly as pulled strands of her face away from her face.

"Well, I'm always happy to see you..." She added.

"Anyway, I have three things for you..." Snake said in a gruff but totally affectionate tone.

"Do I have to close my eyes?" She said in a flirty way.

"Not yet-" he smiled."- well I got you some magazines to read..-" he said as he handed her a small stack of magazines.

"-...and this..." He added as he put his arms around her thin waist, leant over to her and kissed her deeply and passionately. She responded with as must strength as she could muster.

"So, after the third thing do I get to pick which I liked best?" She whispered after the several minutes they spent kissing each other.

"If you like..." he answered as he got up to get the tray of food for her

"-This is the third thing." he said as he placed it on her lap.

Meryl stared at him. "Hmm, after much thought...and careful deliberation...considering ALL the facts...and after much research and study...I pick the second as my favorite!" She said excitedly.

"OK, now open wide." He said as he spooned some soup from the bowl and held it up to her mouth.

"Aww, you nearly got my hopes up there for a moment..." she said in mock disappointment.

"I swear that's all you think about.." he replied while smiling.

"Hey! Was that a complaint?!" Meryl said as she took the spoon from him.

"Never." came her reply.

"But seriously, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Aroused..." She grinned.

Snake rolled his eyes. "I meant are you feeling any better?" he added.

"Well, pretty much the same just not so tired." She explained.

They heard a knock on the door. "Come in Hal!" Meryl yelled as loud as she could.

Otacon walked in and sat on the chair next to the bed. "Hey, you're looking better..." he said.

"I wish I felt better, though I must have improved from yesterday cause at least I can walk." Meryl replied as she slowly got out of bed.

Snake put his arm around her waist while she had arm around his neck for support as he walked her to the living room.

"Ahhhh, hey, If you want I'll get to work on dinner." Otacon added as he walked in to the room.

"You don't have to do that Hal..." Snake answered.

"Ohh I want to! Anyway, you obviously haven't heard about my world famous cooking skills from Mei-Ling or Jack..." Otacon said as he started to look through the food storeroom.

"Jacks a moron. No-one listens to him." Snake said flatly.

"Well I think everyone cooks better than them! Even me!" Meryl exclaimed as Snake stared at her lovingly while doing what passes the most as a smile.

Otacon was starting to dislike the amount of attention she was getting from his lover, but he still had the upper hand.

He could separate them using military opportunity's for her and at least keep her out the way with medication until he was forced to leave, but by then he would have secured some real assurance from Snake that he would return to New York.

"Whats he making?" Meryl asked as she tried to lean out to see into the kitchen where Hal was.

"I have no idea, but hes a great cook so I say leave him to it." Snake added as he sat on the floor in the middle of the room adjusting the TV tuning.

Meryl got up slowly and walked over to him and sat facing him on his lap.

"Well then we have some time to kill..." She said as she shoved him backwards.

Snake lay flat on the floor and looked up at Meryl who was sitting astride him, pressing her body into his in a provocative manner. He put his hands on her hips a moment then tapped her rear twice slowly while flicking his eyes over to their room then back to her.

Snake put his index finger up to his mouth a moment in a 'hush signal' while taking her hand and leading her to their room while checking her balance while walking.

Meryl whispered "Why the ...-" while holding her finger up to her mouth in the same gesture comically.

Snake lent over to her ear and whispered in his distinct tone. "..Cause Hals here, things could get awkward..."

"Well we both know I'm not very good at-" Meryl said as she repeated the gesture while giggling. "-..And neither are you! Though, come to think of it, you have been very quiet recently...It's like watching a movie without the sound." She laughed as Snake grinned back at her.

Meanwhile Otacon made up his mind what he was going to cook and started chopping ingredients and putting things together as he planned what he was going to do next.

His ideal plan was to arrive back to New York with Snake, and he set his mind on that end, he had fought hard and won a certain amount of acknowledgment from his lover about their situation and now that things are starting to fall into place he did not want to concede.

Otacon realized that Snake gave more into his urges while under the influence of heavy drinks, and he figured he must love him because he has been receptive to more and even accepts Hals hugs and kisses at odd intervals during the day.

The thing Otacon didn't like was the 'pact of silence' that seems to have settled. of course he was grateful for it as it facilitated all of their wondrous encounters, but it left him feeling second best to Meryl every time.

Hal thought to himself that except the obvious, what did Meryl offer him that he couldn't? The only things that even made it on to that list were purely sexual experiences and they were due to the few biological differences between them.

Hal was a accomplished academic and was capable to adapt and learn virtually anything he set his mind to. He had even studied, and became licensed to fly, light aircraft at Snake's suggestion that they needed a pilot in Philanthropy for the possible upcoming investigation into a tanker.

He followed and looked up to Snake in every way someone can, as a friend, mentor, lover and protector, and he knew that Snake respected him and his opinions and would even openly refer to him as 'his partner', though now he was certain that he loved him as well in some confused way.

* * *

The time flew as Otacon thought over their complicated relationship. He knew Snake couldn't cope with how he felt about Hal and probably felt guilty that sleeping with him felt so good, and then there was Meryl.

Hal was sure that Snake's Bisexuality was only present due to the fact he fell in love with the him, as he had shown no interest in men prior to that, though did exhibit some strange traits.

Hal knew Snake better then everyone, except maybe Meryl, who seemed to know the smallest secret detail about him. He hated the way Snake just completely opened up to her in the months they stayed together after the incidents on Shadow Moses island, but he was certain this was to do with the fact that at his age of thirty-four, he had found love, under the worst possible circumstances, with a teenager.

He often wondered if her uncle had silently sanctioned or passively allowed the relationship because of their friendship or because Meryl and David had the same bizarre destructive traits so were safer left together. Either way Hal really didn't understand how that one went down.

All he knew was that she was going to have to give him up and accept that he'd moved on. Otacon was lost in thought as Meryl walked in and looked into his cooking pans.

"That smells delicious Hal..." She said as she put her arm around him in a friendly fashion.

"Hey! if you keep doing that you'll have to marry me..." Otacon joked to her while using it to get her arm away from his waist.

"Well can't have that! Or there would be quite an angry Dave on the loose." She said as she smiled to Hal.

"Sure would have...,Hey anyway where have you been, dinners nearly ready." Hal said as he drained the water from a pan.

Meryl got some plates and glasses out and gave them to Hal who was arranging all the food on the plates.

"Okay, you can go into the living room, I'll bring them in when their done." Otacon said cheerfully.

Meryl slowly walked back into the living room and sat down next to Snake who was smoking while reading a magazine. she purposefully sat with her back facing him and lent back to rest her head on his lap over the magazine he was trying to read.

Snake looked down on her and blew smoke in her face. She pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and put it in hers; she took a large breath and blew it up at him before stubbing it out in the ashtray while grinning.

He lent down to kiss her. Hal walked into the room with a tray of plates.

"C'mon you guys!" Hal said as he put the tray on the low table in the middle of the living space.

Meryl whispered to Snake "Aww, you were right..."

"Told you" he smiled back.

"Ahh, this one's yours...with fewer greens" Hal said as he passed a plate to Meryl.

"See! Hals not mean to me! I can eat what I want!" Meryl said while pouting at Snake.

"No comment." Snake replied in a comical deadpan tone as Hal passed him his.

Hal sat next to Snake's other side with his plate balanced on his lap. He was eating with his right hand but had his left hand resting on Snakes thigh as they all sat on the main sofa watching the TV.

Meryl suddenly stopped eating and looked to her right and stared at Otacon's left hand, even by the weak light of the TV there was limited vision in the room.

Snake sensed Meryl had stopped eating right away and swiftly brushed off Hal's hand and crossed his leg over his other while putting his free arm around her.

She smiled and looked back up to the TV. Otacon was trying not to show his pure frustration.

Please Click To Next Chapter: A Willful Decision


	11. Chapter 11

**Split Personalitys - Chapter XI : A willful decision.**

Later on that night Otacon was folding fresh clothes into his travel case, he was nearing the end of his impromptu stay in Alaska and had made some amazing headway with his relationship, but soon had to concede and leave, hoping that the seeds he had sown will start to grow.

He could hear Meryl being sick in the bathroom, he smiled while looking downwards, shaking his head and continued packing.

"Well, that's it; you're going to hospital." Snake told her as she leant forward to be sick.

"But, I felt fine earlier..." She mumbled as she tightened her grip on Snakes hand.

"Well, some-things wrong." he replied as he rubbed her back. "I'll get you some water." he added as he walked to the kitchen.

Otacon walked into the bathroom and knelt down next to Meryl. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I feel like shit Hal..." She said as she looked up to him.

Otacon did feel a hint of guilt as he looked down at her, she was wearing only a mismatched bra and underwear and had her red hair pulled back with a elastic band. Hal felt almost overdressed in his shirt and corduroys compared to Snake and Meryl's attire around the cabin when it was heated up.

"I'm certain you'll be better soon." Otacon said as he pulled strands of hair off her face.

Otacon walked into the kitchen where Snake was smoking and heating up some food for Meryl.

"So...ahhh, I thought she felt better...?" Otacon said as he stood next to Snake.

"I thought so too - I'm having her taken to the mainland for checks." Snake said.

"Don't worry; I'm certain she's fine." Otacon said as he put his hand around Snakes waist.

Snake looked irritated and pulled away.

"Stop it." Snake hissed in a guttural tone.

"Huh?!" Otacon replied a little taken back.

"Just...stop." He repeated.

"Stop what?"

"You, you're always touching me, always feeling me up." Snake said in a very serious tone.

"But, you've never complained before..?!" Otacon said while visibly shocked and noticeably emotional. "I, I thought we'd been through all this before! You said you weren't going to treat me badly and alienate me like this, you know I can't take it."

Snake was silent as he continued to smoke.

"You know how much I love you...you know it! You HAVE to stop blowing hot and cold on me like this...it's just not fair!" Otacon said as his voice started to break.

"Do you want me or not?!" Otacon said in a serious tone.

"Well...? What's it going to be?!" he added as he started shoving Snake uncharacteristically just to get some kind of response.

"Look Hal, I'm under a lot of stress right now..." he said tolerantly as Otacon continued to shove him.

Snake turned and looked at him almost with half a smile.

"Stop grinning at me you perverted bastard." Otacon said as he started shoving him as hard as he could.

Snake turned around to face him in a instant and grabbed his wrists.

"Do you realize I could knock you into the middle of next week..?!" Snake said in a irritated yet calm and measured way.

"Go ahead!" Otacon pulled his hands away after Snake released him.

Otacon pulled his glasses off sideways with one hand. "Go On! Hit me, do your worst..." he said emotionally as he squeezed his eyes shut and looked to the side.

Snake couldn't help being bizarrely cheered up by the stupidity of the situation. If he had 'done his worst' then Hals neck would have been swiftly broken and his death would be instant and painless.

But he could never do that, not to Hal of all people, he had too much of a affinity for him so would happily tolerate his very rare, mostly emotional outbursts. He also knew that by the time Hal resorted to a outburst like this he was really at the end of his line.

"Can't we talk about this later?" Snake said as he turned back to turn off the gas.

"NO! Tell me now or I'm leaving right now!" Otacon said while trying to control the level of his voice.

"Tell you what?" Snake answered.

"AahhHHH! Otacon made a sudden desperate sound while covering his ears as Snake glanced at him then walked by him to go tend Meryl.

When Snake stared at the slender emotionally tormented man in front of him, To the best of Snakes knowledge Otacon always had his best interests at heart and generally seemed to 'play fair'.

Hal never once threatened him with telling Meryl, no matter how desperate and upset he was, and Snake noticed this and admired him for it. Granted that he knew nothing of Otacon's drugging his girlfriend and various other plans.

All Otacon could see was a lot of his hard work going down the drain due to Snake's stress over Meryl.

Though Otacon was physically weak and shy by nature, through love he had gained the strength to become the initiator in the few and special encounters he had with Snake, except one, where Snake seemed to purposefully seek him out and made all the first moves which excited Hal beyond his dreams.

He thought that may have been to do with the fact that he genuinely loved him and felt confident about the relationship to be able to do as he wished, of course getting amazing head in a bar potentially in plain sight was a great incentive and seemed to get more reaction then Hal even imagined it would.

Otacon was never sure if Snake's masculinity or plain sense of professionalism would have prohibited him from ever making a opening move to Hal no-matter how blatant and receptive Hal had been. Otacon was far more comfortable with emotion in general and could express himself in ways Snake couldn't or wouldn't.

Hal was happy to become the emotional aggressor to win to man he loved; he knew Snake wasn't going to come to him; he didn't even come to Meryl. She just took him and won his heart. Hal learned a lot about the kind of man Snake was, he was happy to bottle up all his emotions and passions as he had no real outlet for them.

Otacon thought about finishing his little raid on the bedroom drawers though he needed to do this when no-one was around. He thought about the cable ties, scissors and thick tape he found, Hal felt that either they were half way through repairs around the house or they were for personal use. The thought excited him slightly that his two friends could actually have bdsm interests.

But if that were true it raised a few questions. Out of the two of them he really couldn't decide which would be submissive and which would be dominant.

Hal knew very well which role appealed to him personally. He wondered if he was letting his mind run away with himself, He certainly wanted to have a look in the clothes drawers and such in the room.

The only ways to find out for sure would be to somehow see if he could steer the conversation with Meryl without being obvious, or to try to appeal to Snake by picking a role and hoping he gets it right...Possibly resulting in him getting the crap beaten out of himself for getting it right or wrong depending on which he picked.

Otacon could overhear Snake tending Meryl who seemed semi-conscious by now; he heard Snake pick up the phone handset and dial led out to get to arrange to have her lifted to a mainland hospital.

"Okay,...one hour, well I guess that will have to do...yes,...yes,...I will, thank you." Snake answered as he talked into the phone.

Otacon walked into the bathroom area. "Huh?! You've called a hospital? I told you she'll be fine..." Hal stammered.

"You don't know that for sure and I'm not taking any risks." Snake answered abruptly.

"Well, then in that case I'm coming too!" Otacon declared as he got a blanket to wrap around Meryl.

"What are you doing?" Snake queried as he packed a overnight case for Meryl.

"Well she can't go anywhere dressed like this!" Otacon exclaimed as he wrapped it around her.

"Hmm...ahhh Yea right." Snake answered.

Otacon went into his room to grab his coat, laptop and anything he might need. He thought this may turn to his advantage, but then was hit by a very serious thought, What if the tests they put her under reveal that she's under the influence of sleeping tablets?

Otacon realized right away that if Snake didn't kill him right then and there in front of everyone at the hospital then at best he would never speak to him again.

Although, at that point he would prefer to have been killed.

The helicopter arrived and lifted Meryl to the mainland hospital with Snake and Otacon in the back with her as the team wired her up to all kinds of readouts.

It was about a hours ride to the mainland hospital, the whole time Snake was asking more questions than he was answering, Otacon was silently looking up on his laptop how Zopiclone can be detected.

Meryl looked up at them with a bit of a dreamy gaze.

"I told you I'd be okay..." She said as she reached out and held Snakes hand.

"You didn't look very 'Okay' to me earlier." he replied.

The Paramedic got his clipboard out and sat next to them. "Okay I have to ask you a couple of questions Ms.Silverburgh..."

Meryl nodded back.

_"Okay how long have you been feeling like this?"_ he asked.

"I don't know, about...two or three days on and off." Meryl answered back while trying to remember.

_"Do you take any medicinal or recreational drugs?"_

"Hmm no, only painkillers sometimes." she said.

_"What are your symptoms now?"_

"Very bad nausea, and all my limbs are numb, I feel so sleepy." Meryl replied.

_"Do you drink?"_

"Yes, sometimes." She said as she didn't want to lie in case it mattered.

_"Do you smoke?"_

"No."

_"Have you had a pregnancy test?"_

"...no, It's not that, that can't happen." Meryl answered as she stared down to the metallic floor.

_"Well we test that a routine as most women are never sure of their cycle."_

"Well my last cycle was normal." Meryl said almost defensively though slightly embarrassed.

_"Do you have or harbor any disease either treatable or non treatable by drugs?"_

"No."

_"Well your blood pressure is only a little higher than normal, but that could be all the stress. Your blood sugar is fine, heart rate is normal; so far it's all looking good. But we can only really know when we get to the hospital."_

At the Hospital Meryl and Snake checked in at the desk. Otacon wanted to stay away as the sight of a drugged up girl dressed in her underwear, wrapped in a blanket being brought in by two men really didn't look so good.

They waited in the patient room waiting for a specialist.

"You're going to be okay, don't worry." Otacon said as he leant over to Meryl.

Meryl smiled at him "I know, I'm just soo sorry to put you two out like this."

"You never put me out." Snake answered as he pulled the blanket over her shoulders.

"Well, you know me...I'm always happy to help. Well ahhh, I'm going to get a drink, want anything?" Otacon added as he nervously adjusted his glasses then got up to go to the vending machine to get something to drink.

"No thank you." Meryl said as Snake shook his head at Otacon.

The specialist and a training junior walked over to them and sat down.

"You must be Mr.Sears and Ms. Silverburgh, I'm Doctor Heimlich, the cerebral and cardiac specialist. I've been reading your report here..."

"And?" Meryl cut in.

"And from preliminary tests you look okay on paper, so you have two choices here."

"They are?" Snake asked firmly.

"Well, we could run advanced tests at personal cost to you. However this could just be a viral thing...like flu. I want to keep her here over night anyway for observation but she may even have recovered by then. If you do want advanced tests my junior will take a blood sample now."

"How long would they take to get results?" Snake asked.

"Ohh, that would happen in minutes, but sadly I'm the only doctor on call tonight so won't be able to even look at them until mid-morning tomorrow, I'm sorry."

"Well I can wait." Snake said.

"I'm afraid that's another thing, you can't stay here. We have a strict policy about visitors."

"What?!" Snake said with surprise.

Otacon started to walk back with his drinks but saw the specialist and decided to wait back and listen.

"We are happy to take you back in the helicopter as it's too late to get any place to stay here in the city at this time, and we have another pickup to make that way."

"I'll have these tests done then."Snake said as he turned to the doctor.

The doctor signaled his junior to take a blood sample as he was called away by a nurse.

"David, go home, you know me! I'll be okay..." Meryl said as she tried to put on a brave front.

"We're in this together remember?!" Snake said as he leant over to her.

"I know, but you know I'm made of tougher stuff." She said she patted the side of his face. "And how am I supposed to get better if I know you're pacing around out here harassing the hospital staff over the results." She smiled.

Snake shook his head at her.

"I mean it; I'll see you tomorrow anyway. I'll miss you so much til then."

"I'll miss you more." Snake answered her back.

The junior finished taking the sample and smile at them. "I run these now so there ready first thing tomorrow.

"Thank you." Meryl answered.

As the junior walked away, Otacon followed him on impulse. He saw the junior walk into the Lab and hand the sample over to a technician.

_"Please run this sample now, the customer is paying a lot to have this done quickly for the patient. How long will it take?"_

_"Hmmm about twenty minutes to run for everything"_

_"Okay, Thank you."_

Otacon moved away from the lab door as the junior walked out. His mind raced as he knew he was going to pick up those results. He rejoined Snake and Meryl and asked them about what the doctor said.

"We have to leave here and come back tomorrow..." Snake added in a low tone.

"Aww C'mon, we've come out all this way." Otacon answered.

"I know, in a few minutes they'll be back to take Meryl to her room." Snake replied. As he looked at Meryl his eyes spoke far more than his mouth did.

Otacon put his arm around Snake's shoulder in a friendly and comforting way. "It'll be ok" he said.

"I'll be back before you know, you'll just see" Meryl added as she reached out for Otacon's hand.

After a while Otacon made his way back to the lab, ran his fingers through his hair a couple of times, walked in openly and headed for the technician who the junior gave the results too.

"Hello!" he said loudly while reaching out to shake the technicians' hand. "I'm Dr.Emmerich, I'm a specialist flown in to assist Dr.Heimlich. he wants the reports for early review."

"Wait, wait. I wasn't told she was being treated by two doctors..." the tech replied.

Otacon flashed his I-D card at the tech as he reached out for the results Disk.

"One moment please..." the tech asked."I'll need to fill out this form and copy your PhD number."

Hal rolled his eyes and got his card out again.

"Thank you, very much Doctor, please pass them to the examinations nurse if Doctor Heimlich doesn't get to see them yet."

"I will thank you." Hal replied as he hurried out the room to find a terminal for his laptop.

As he loaded up the file on the disk, he saw his concerned were justified, the heightened level of Zopiclone in her system had been picked up on, and the irregular doses administered. Hal's fingers danced over the small keyboard of his Laptop as he amended the findings and thought he would add a few things as this was his chance.

He wanted to type that she had a allergy to sex but knew that would give the whole thing up, but he was happy he had a sense of humor under these circumstances.

After he amended the disk passed it to the examinations nurse. "This is for the immediate attention of Doctor Heimlich please."

Otacon met back up with Snake in the waiting room, they had just taken Meryl away to a private room.

"I've been looking for you." Snake said in a deadpan tone.

"Yea...Ahhh, I got lost." Hal stammered.

"We need to hurry they leave back out in ten minutes." Snake said as he finished his cigarette.

Otacon turned to the side and saw the junior and the tech gesticulating to each other in a frenzied fashion.

_"What?! You let someone just walk in here and take a confidential data disk then just casually walk out?!" The junior said with shock._

_"But, I was informed he was working with Dr.Heimlich, sir." the tech said defensively._

_"Well i don't know who this Emmerich guy is, but according to his PhD number he's a doctor of science not medicine, and no-one would be crazy enough to pull this off with their own I-D so it's probably stolen. But if you see him, detain him. Security is already searching the building." the junior replied._

On the way back Otacon looked at Snake who sat staring into space silently. Whenever he made any attempt to speak to him he would get grunts or detracted one word answers.

He felt bad for his lover and hoped the argument they had earlier wasn't only going to continue when they got back. He decided to stay silent and sit the trip out while trying to sleep.

After they got back Otacon walked into the kitchen and flicked his mobile on to leave a message on a government line.

"Hello? Yes, I would like to report the theft of my wallet which also contains all my I-D...it happened yesterday..."

After his phone call he made some coffee and walked to Snakes room and knocked on the door, then tried the handle and found it latched.

"Dave...I've made coffee and something to eat..." Otacon said through the door.

"I'm not hungry Hal, thank you." came his reply.

"Hmmm, Are you okay...?" Otacon asked feeling slightly concerned.

"Yes I'm fine. Goodnight Hal." Snake said in a low tone.

Otacon looked down and walked away from the door slowly to the kitchen and sat down. He felt bad because he knew that Snake was obviously affected by Meryl's being unwell and was dealing with it in his own way. He felt bad that his lover and best friend couldn't confide his feelings to him.

Otacon's eyes started to water up over yet more rejection, he could feel his heart rate speed up as he dwelled on his disappointments and all the things that hurt him. He walked into the living room, turned off the lights and lay on the sofa, propping some cushions under his neck and cried himself to sleep.

Almost in what seemed like a instant Hal's eyes opened to see the kitchen light on, he reached for his glasses and looked at the clock which was flashing 03:24am. He then noticed that there were covers over him and pillows under his head.

Otacon got out of the bed on the sofa and walked into the kitchen to see Snake making something to eat.

"Hello Dave..." Otacon said in a sleepy tone while shielding his eyes from the light.

"How are you Hal?" Snake asked as he noticed Otacon's hair was a total mess and all over his face.

"Alright I guess, though abit uncomfortable. I fell asleep fully dressed on the sofa." Otacon answered as he sat at the table.

"Yea I noticed."

"I know you were upset earlier. I hope you're feeling a little better." Otacon said in a comforting tone.

"Yea, it's all this stress...I didn't mean to be course to you earlier, I heard you sobbing for a while before it all went quiet."

Otacon looked down. "It's okay Dave...you know me...I'm...always Okay." Hal managed a false and strained smile that he thought would benefit his lover.

Snake brought a small plate over. "There's enough for two." he said as he sat down at the table.

"Ohh! Wow, thanks." Hal said as he dipped some bread into a thick sauce in a large bowl.

"Ahhh, I'm sorry if I upset you earlier...when you were looking after Meryl." Otacon said quietly.

"It's ok, Acquaintances disagree, friends argue...Didn't you tell me that?" Snake said as he picked up another piece of bread.

"Ha-ha! Yes I did Dave." Otacon added with a wide grin on his face. "I'm going to miss arguing with you when I leave very soon..."

"Yea, I've...gotten used to having you around...in the way, as usual." Snake added while smiling.

Otacon reached his hand out to place on Snakes, but stopped and pulled back.

"-Okay, I was going to put my hand on yours...but, under the convention of non-molestation I won't..."

"I'll save you the trouble Hal." Snake said as he placed his hand on Otacon's.

Otacon beamed a smile to Snake who got up to go see what was on TV as he sat on the sofa. Otacon followed him in and sat next to him.

"I doubt there's anything on at this time...It kind of reminds me of when we lived in Manhattan." Hal observed.

"Nah I think it's a little different now."Snake answered.

Otacon lent against Snake resting his head on the larger mans chest and placing his hand on his stomach. Snake put his arm around Otacon as they flicked through channels.

Hal looked up and kissed Snakes neck as he placed his hand on his inner thigh.

Snake turned towards him and kissed him back. Otacon kept kissing him with varied intensity, testing the waters of how receptive Snake was, and if he wanted more.

They lay there kissing each other slowly and tenderly. Hal was emotionally and physically captivated to the point that he could hear the accelerated rhythm of his heartbeat, and he was certain his lover heard it too.

Hal shut his eyes as he surrendered to his partner's intense kisses. In the near darkness of the room his only sense was touch where they were joined at the mouth.

Hal sat up on his knees and pushed Snake backwards so that his head rested on the armrest.

He leant down to kiss him again and thrust his tongue into Snakes mouth taking him a little by surprise as he reached his hand down into the front of Snakes combat trousers.

As Hal pulled away from Snake's lips leaving a small line of saliva still connecting his bottom lip to Snakes top lip, he looked into his lovers eyes by the TV light as he felt him under his clothes.

"How does that feel..?" Hal whispered to Snake.

"Ahh, that's good." Snake roared back in a whisper.

Otacon got up and stood next to the sofa and reached his arm down to Snake.

"Come with me..." Hal said a little above a whisper with amorous eyes and a loving smile.

Hal walked into his room and pulled his case and clothes off his bed.

He turned around to Snake and spoke softly. "Tonight's ours..."

Snake gave him a slanted smile as Otacon reached up to kiss him and pull off his top.

"You're going to sleep here with me, and you're going to satisfy me for a change..." Hal whispered.

"So, I don't always satisfy you?" Snake asked him as he pulled his shirt open.

"You do, but tonight, no distractions, no running off; I want ALL of your attention." Hal said as he turned out the light and lit two candles on the table.

Otacon made a calculated risk and pushed Snake backwards onto the bed.

"So, tomorrow there are some things we have to talk about, but tonight is probably the only time we'll have to be together." Otacon said in a low serious tone.

Snake grinned at him.

**Please Click To Next Chapter: A Nights Love**


	12. Chapter 12

**Split Personalitys - Chapter XII : A nights love.**

* * *

**(STORY WARNING: This chapter and the following chapter use strong language and gay sexual references / Please do not read if you are of a delicate nature or offended easily. As the story states, it is a Yaoi so if this is not your thing...you really shouldn't be reading this! But for those who are following this story to the imminent end - PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!) **

**P.S Poor old Otacon HAS to get his, after ALL the trouble he's gone to!**

* * *

Otacon opened his eyes to the stream of golden sunlight beaming through the window. He reached for his glasses on the bed table and found that they were sticky with one lens covered by a dried white liquid.

He turned quickly yet silently and saw the sleeping form of his lover next to him who still had his left wrist still handcuffed to the beds head-rail.

Hal felt happier than he had ever been. he had woke up in the loving embrace of Snake who was naked and fast asleep next to him after a night of making love and experimenting with each other's bodies.

Otacon's back and hips hurt and he felt uncomfortable in his rear, but there was no sharp pains, no blood and no injuries, mostly due to the bottle of lubricant that was less than a quarter filled and on the floor next to the bed.

Otacon Lent down to kiss his sleeping partner on the cheek, making Snake open one eye to look at Hal.

"Good morning darling." Otacon said in a tone of pure adoration.

"Mer--Hal..." Came Snake's sleepy reply.

"I'm going to get us some breakfast." Otacon said as he wiped his glasses.

"Nahhh, why don't you stay here and give me some..?'"

"Well as you put it like that!" Hal said as he pulled the covers back over himself.

"-...Even though I have no idea where you get the energy from, we only slept two hours last night." Otacon smiled to Snake as he spoke.

"Ohh? Well when I did get off to sleep you only woke me up a hour later for more. Anyway, I like having sex then a smoke in the morning it helps wakes me up." Snake answered in a husky, sleepy tone.

"Well, I can't help it if you're irresistible, and gorgeous, and sweet, and ohh so good in bed, anyway, I'd have sex with you every morning." Otacon added as he kissed him after every descriptive term.

"Although - 'waking me up for more' - was more like waking up to find you sitting on top of me." Snake half smiled as he recalled.

"Well you look so sexy asleep, even all unshaven like that. You know, when I met you five odd months ago you had short hair and were clean shaven, are you too busy or just letting yourself go?" Otacon joked while running his hand through his lover's hair.

Snake just grinned as he leant over to grab the packet of cigarettes from the bed table.

"You can talk Hal! Look how long your hair is, although, you look good for your age. Got afew white hairs though..." He added as Hal listened to the flicks of the cigarette lighter as he lit up while leaning back in the bed.

"What!" Hal said in mock indigence. "Hey we're in the same age range...Roughly! - Do you,...dislike anything about me?...I mean, is my hair too long?" Hal asked as he ran his hand through it.

"-Think I should shave it all off Dave?"

"Nahh, I really like it. You've always had long hair haven't you? If you shaved it off it wouldn't be good, and I'd have nothing to grab.." Snake said sarcastically.

"Well ahhhh, you would tell me if you wanted me to change anything, right?" Hal asked as he cuddled up to his smoking lover.

"Don't change a thing." Snake ordered sharply.

"I love you David, you know that?" Otacon whispered into Snakes ear.

"I know, and it's one of those mutual things." Snake added casually as he released a plume of smoke.

"What!?" Hal said as he turned quickly. "-...YOU just said you loved me!" Hal said as he pointed in Snakes face.

Snake just shrugged and raised his eyebrows a moment while smoking.

"You just said it! In that normal cryptic, hint of a way you always use to disguise stuff!" Hal said while smiling.

"Come here." Snake said in a deep tone while pointing to his mouth.

Otacon leant over to French-kiss him as they normally did.

No sooner had Hal started to kiss him when Snake exhaled a lung full of smoke into the slender programmer's mouth making him cough repeatedly and reach for the water by the bedside.

As soon as Hal re-caught his breath he slowly turned to his lover and stared at him a moment.

"You said you loveeee me,HE said HE loveeeeees me hmm hmmm hmmm la-laa-laaa-laa-" He sang his invented song in his whinny voice while pointing in Snakes face childishly.

Snake shook with laughter while covering his face in his hand."You're as bad as Meryl." he sighed.

"Oohhh I'm FAR badder..." Hal joked while flashing Snake a wide bright white teethed grin. "Ahhhhh, and I'm a slut too." he added as he pushed his glasses up conservatively.

"Hal, I'm starting to think you're mad." Snake said lovingly.

"What scientist isn't?" Hal answered. "-...At least the only thing I'M crazy about is you."

"Good! Well you're certainly committed...or will be soon." Snake joked.

"Oh! Ahhh, talking of commitment..."Hal said nervously as Snake eyes widened. "There is something I wanted to give you."

"Give...me?" Snake answered monotone.

"Yes, it's only to show our friendship." Otacon said he carefully monitored his lovers face.

"This is not going to be anything sick, or weird is it?"

"NOW, I'm offended..." Otacon said as he crossed his arms and pretended to look away.

Snake reached his finger out and turned Hal's head back towards him.

"Yep! You look offended.." Snake added.

Otacon got out of the bed and went over to search his case. He retrieved a small box and brought it back with him as he hoped back into bed and pulled the covers over himself. He produced a Silver colored ring.

Snakes closed his eyes to slits and stared at Hal suspiciously and uncomfortably.

"It's just a friendship band, so you know I'm thinking of you."

"Nahhhh. I don't do rings." Snake said as he took the ring and placed it on the bed table.

"Don't be stupid Dave! I mean it...I'll hit you!" Otacon threatened as he undid the clasp on one of Snake's leather-line necklace and put the ring on it, then reattached it.

"Let me guess...you have one too?" Snake said in a scarily serious tone.

"Yeaaa. Ahhhh, because we're friends!" Otacon pointed out.

"So this one is yours then?" Snake asked as he picked the smaller one up. "...and it has my name on it..."

"Yes"

"And this one has your name on it?" Snake asked while pointing to the ring on his neckless.

"...yes."

Snake sighed in a slightly irritated way. "So, does this fit you?" he asked.

"I ahhh, think so." Hal answered offering up his hand. Snake pushed away his left hand and pulled over his right hand and pushed the ring onto his finger.

Otacon was overjoyed, especially as he thought he was about to get thrown out. He didn't mind what he was certain was a silent compromise by his lover.

But they had just shared a amazing night of passion together, having finally momentarily quenched their lust for each other. they must have made love four or five times throughout the night

Otacon smiled and kissed his partner.

"Anyway! Before you go pick up Meryl we have to talk about some important things." Hal added.

"Uhhh...yea." Snake grunted in reply.

"But first! Breakfast for you, mister!" Hal exclaimed as he put on a house-robe and walked into the kitchen as Snake grabbed Hal's laptop off the bed-table.

"Let's have a look what's going on in the world today..." Snake said grinning as he flipped the laptops top up as he breathed in on his cigarette with his cuffed left hand and typed into the search engine slowly with his free right hand.

Otacon was pouring out boiling water into the coffee machine when he started to hear a woman's moaning and crying out as she shouted obscenities and directions which were more often than not 'Fuck me harder!'.

Otacon's eyes widened and he put the kettle down and walked back into the bedroom to find Snake had gone to a well known 'youtube-style' video sharing website which features nothing but hardcore pornography.

"DAVID!!" Hal shouted as he grabbed his laptop back.

"That's disgusting! Is that all you think about?!" Hal said in shock.

" And...women? I'm starting to think your seriously hyper-active! I mean...WOMEN?! Ohhh, this could be a problem.." Hal muttered as he shut and powered down his laptop, and much to his dismay saw that his partner was near fully aroused as he leant back smoking in bed.

"Are you a nymphomaniac or something?! Honestly I think you have to curb your sex drive and interest in women and just...stick to me!!...I mean...what would Meryl say?!"

Snake shrugged as he lifted his eyebrows a moment. "She watches more porno then anyone..." Snake said comically as he turned his head to his cuffed hand to take a drag of his cigarette.

Otacon stood there shocked with his mouth open. "Oookay, TOO much information. I'm making breakfast."

Otacon was cracking eggs into a mixing bowl as he heard Snake call out to him. "Hey Hal! are you gonna come here and unlock this thing on my wrist?"

Hal called back "'Unlock this on my wrist', WHAT?"

"...NOW!...then suck me off.." came the romantic reply.

Otacon smiled to himself as he prepared the ingredients to their breakfast. The thought of giving his partner oral sex again was arousing him to the point where he couldn't concentrate, Hal tried to focus on making breakfast but his mind only wondered back to one of the times they made love last night.

His mind went over nearly every detail of the first time of their night together...

* * *

They walked into the bedroom together, Hal was standing at the bottom of the bed as Snake was laying down on the bed propped up on his elbows staring at Hal with the most 'Come-To-Bed-Eyes' expression he had ever seen from the man.

Hal pulled off the knitted vest over his shirt and climbed onto the bed, while running his hands up and down Snake's chest. Snake reached up to feel the side of Hal's face and caress his cheek.

"There's something I would really, really like right now..."Otacon asked.

"What do you need Hal?" Snake replied in a breathy tone alittle over a whisper.

"Can you hold me please? Just for a little while...please." Otacon asked as he fit himself into the space to Snake's side, resting his head on Snake's shoulder and placing a hand on his stomach.

Snake turned on his left side to face his slender little friend, wrapped his arms around him and moved his right leg up in between Hal's legs. He kissed the top of Hal's head as he lightly squeezed him.

Otacon squeezed his eyes shut, lost in the warmth of such a loving hug. He could hear the beat of his lover's heart clearly and could nearly smell the strong hormonal scent radiating from the man he had spent so long pursuing.

Snake looked down at Otacon's peaceful face. "Are you sleepy Hal?"

"Ohh no, I'm VERY awake. I'm just trying to remember everything about this hug for the times when we're not together...In fact, this is hardly even a hug, it's a cuddle..." Otacon answered.

"A ...Cuddle? Is there some kind of scientific distinction between a hug and a cuddle?" Snake smiled as he asked.

"Very much so Dave! A Cuddle is more loving and sensual. It creates more a a strong bond between people, a hug is so casual." Hal answered.

"If you say so Hal..."

"I Do Dave!" Otacon said with conviction as he could feel Snakes body shaking slightly in a mild laughter over Hal's sentimentality.

"All I've ever wanted was your approval and affection." Otacon whispered.

"You have both Hal." Snake added in a loving tone.

They started pulling at each other's clothes and kissing intensely as their hands were lost in a fever of touching and feeling each other.

Otacon smiled while looking into his lovers eyes as he reached down to undo the front fastenings of Snake's belt, they kissed each other until it was obvious that Otacon was having no luck with the belt.

"What are you doing Hal?" Snake asked as he noticed Hals fumbling.

"Hehe,..Trying to get your cock out." Otacon said while giggling.

"Uhm, You could have asked.." Snake said as he undid it while smiling as Otacon undid his own belt and reached for a glass of water on the bed table or a few sips to wet his mouth.

"Hal, you're so cute..." Snake said out of the blue, making Otacon nearly choke on his water.

"You really think so?" Hal said as he fluffed his hair then reached down and loosely gripped his lover's firm shaft.

Snake shrugged at him as he stared at Hal's features by the glow of the light from the large fire.

Otacon pulled his hair back from his face and Lent down to lick the sensitive part under the head of his lovers cock, he licked up and down while sucking on it in intervals.

Snake pulled Hals hair back and to the side while watching his friend perform oral sex on him.

"Mmmm, you have to have done this before.." Snake sighed in a whisper.

Otacon stopped for a moment, pushed back up his glasses. "No,You're the only man I've done this to."

"What about women?"

"Ahhh yea, but that's a pretty awful and the thought leaves me cold. I tried to be something I wasn't for the approval and acceptance of society...but now, none of those matters anymore."

"How did you get so good?" Snake mentioned while trying not to let himself get far too aroused to the point of no return.

Otacon stopped again begrudgingly to answer the question put to him.

"Well, I like to think I give it how I'd love to get it. Only another man would understand that."

Snake supported his head with his hand as he stared at the ceiling in between the intense pleasure forcing him to close his eyes and succumb. Otacon listened to the sounds of his lover's sighs and moans, he licked downwards sucking on the softer skin below as he slowly ran his hand up and down his lover's shaft.

He felt Snakes thighs seize up as he pulled his legs together slightly and brought his hand down ready to push Hal away.

"Please David,...trust me. I won't do anything to hurt you I promise."

"Just be careful." Snake added.

"You can trust me more then you can trust Meryl I promise you that." Otacon whispered.

"Well I don't know she knows where teeth are welcome and where they aren't" Snake replied.

"Ahh, just lie down and relax, I don't want to hear another word out of you unless it's something you want me to do for you." Hal ordered.

Otacon repositioned himself when his neck started to ache as he looked up at his lover every so often; enjoying the nearly painful power he had over his psychically superior friend.

Hal looked up at his lover while smiling as he sucked on him, sometimes pulling away to leave a line of saliva then continuing and deepthroating at regular intervals, which made Snake breath out loudly as his breaths became shallow.

"Watching you suck me off is just...fucking amazing." Snake sighed in a deeply husky tone while catching his breath as he quickly placed a hand over the back of Hal's head to guide him slightly.

"No-" Otacon said quickly. "-..GETTING to suck you off is fucking amazing." Hal added as he continued more aggressively.

Snake sat up on his knees and pulled Otacon up, he started to unbutton Hal's shirt and pushed it back over his shoulders as he licked around his nipples while undoing his slender friend's trousers.

"You know, you'd have no trouble finding a girlfriend. You're big for such a thin, skinny guy." Snake mentioned to his naked, slightly disproportionate friend.

"Nothing like you though, you're practically a freak." Hal smiled.

Hal was now sitting up on the bed naked except for the open stripped shirt hanging down from his elbows, covering his lower back.

Otacon held his arms out keeping his wrists together and aimed them at Snake.

"Uhh?" Snake grunted in form of a question at Hal's offering up of his hands.

"Bind my hands" Otacon ordered.

"Hmm,...why?" Snake asked with slight concern.

"Because I'm telling you to."

"I didn't know you were into anything like that." Snake said with a measure of surprise.

"Neither did I, But the allure is amazing. I'm Telling you now..I'm submissive, unless you try anything silly, then you're the one getting tied up." Otacon said in a low tone.

Hal was pleased about how he carefully steered the conversation. He wasn't sure what the score was with Meryl and David but he was happy to try a few educated guesses and see which one was the most successful without being obvious.

He knew from the kind of things he had found in their room that one of them had a taste for more extreme adventures but he didn't know who and under what circumstances.

"Tied up?" Snake repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"If you'd prefer it that way." Hal added as he turned to the window after hearing the strong winds blowing a heavy rain against the side of the cabin-house.

"I can do anything you want me to. You can do anything you like to me." Otacon said as he looked at his friend staring back at him.

Snake placed both of his hands on Hal's shoulders and massaged him lightly before leaning in to kiss him. "You're nervous; I can feel tension in your whole body." Snake whispered in Otacon's ear.

"No, you think I'm not ready for anything, but I am. Anyway, the way you held me down while fucking me gave me such a taste for it - being dominated." Hal added.

"Really?" Snake asked as he loosely bound Hal's hands.

"Yes, there's something about not being able to move, being restrained. Being totally at the mercy, and good...or bad, graces of someone else." Otacon replied as he tried to move his hands apart as his lover ran his hands up and down his thighs.

"I feel like, I'm completely under your spell Hal. There's something about you, something...amazing, alluring. I know I should walk away from this...but I can't." Snake whispered.

"Just, let me win your love Dave. It's as simple as that." Hal said in a desperate whisper as he looked into his lover's eyes.

"Nothing about this is simple. Hal, I've lost control haven't I? This is all wrong." Snake added reluctantly.

"It's not wrong Dave! Feelings like that are a consequence of forbidden love. You have to learn to let it all go, like I have." Hal whispered.

"Mmm Hal, you feel so nice, your skins so soft." Snake said as he put both his arms around Otacon's body and grabbed his ass. He tried not to question why he felt the way he did.

"Then..." Otacon said as he leant over to Snakes ear. "...Fuck me."

"Hmm I'm afraid I don't have any lotion or anything." Snake said as he hooked Hal's bound wrists over the top left bed post.

"Ahh, look in my satchel, you'll find a small bottle." Otacon added.

"I got it," Snake said as he flipped the lid open and poured a load onto his cupped hand then ran it up and down his length. "This stuff is really slippery." he added.

"Haha! I know, well its sorta purpose made." Hal said as he lifted his head and looked to his side.

He was on his knees, bent over forward on the bed with his arms bound at the wrist in front of himself and hooked over a post.

"Nice." Snake said while grinning as he placed both his hands on Hal's rear spreading his cheeks apart then lent in to lick him intimately, taking his lover by surprise. Snake poured a little more lubricant onto his fingers then gently pushed his finger into Hal's tight body.

Otacon squeezed his eyes shut and lent his head against the headboard lost in the Ecstasy of the moment, focused carefully on the sounds of his lover and the strong wind and rain battering the side of the house.

Although he was loosely wearing just his open shirt which hung from his elbows he felt very clammy in the hot room in the middle of a freezing wilderness.

"I'm so hoping you have a oral fixation...I know I do." Otacon whispered lightly.

"Ha!" Snake said in a breath as he sat up on his knees and placed a hand lovingly onto the top of Hal's lower back so he could feel any Resistance or flinching his thin lover made.

He held his cock at the base and rubbed it in between his lover's cheeks a moment before gently maneuvering his hips into position to Hal's. He gripped his lover's hips and went to make a first slow push into the warm welcoming body of a man so desperate to be claimed.

As he pushed with the normal force to enter past the strong ring of muscles, He had expected the normal grip and resistance as Otacon's body succumbed to him slowly, instead he fell forward over Hal's back as he slid into his partners tight bodily entrance due to the lubricant.

"AaaaHHH...awwww!" Hal shrieked as he hit his head against the wall after being jolted forwards and having had his body filled in one go.

"Are you alright!?" Snake asked as he stayed very still noticing Hal had his eyes squeezed shut and had a tear running down the side of his face Snake could see.

Hal silently nodded his head as Snake ran his hand down Hal's hair caressing him gently before bending over his lovers back and reaching out to his face, beckoning Hal to turn to the side and face his lover.

As Hal turned, Snake found his lips and kissed him passionately as he started to slowly move his hips to pull out then back into his little friend's body. Snake could taste the sweetness of Hals tears that had passed over his mouth as sweat started to glisten on the forehead of his slender lover.

Snake felt a wave of pleasure as he arced his back and slowly, rhythmically thrust in and out of his boyfriend as he gripped Otacon's hips.

Hal had his eyes closed and his mouth open as he gasped for air being the receptacle of their physical love.

The union of their bodies was carefully timed and actioned and not dis-similar to the love between a man and a woman. For Otacon this was the culmination of over a weeks hard work and planning, he felt he could finally relax and abandon himself to his lover who seemed to finally and silently, acknowledge their relationship was a sexual one and that there were feelings between them that went far beyond a mans friendly association with another man.

_Hal used to be confused over his own sexuality, though he had at two points in his life thought he felt some attraction towards a woman, they were always jaded by corruption or regret of some kind. _

_He never had felt the kind of strong attraction he had felt since meeting Snake on that fateful day, since then he had reconciled that he was attracted to men more than women and even had watched gay pornography to learn more about the kind of sex involved when he researched anal sex._

_He found he was more turned on by gay porn then anything his old university flat mates used to watch. Otacon though was practical, and now comfortable with who he was and he had found the love of his life. He knew he was very effeminate and had strong maternal instincts and emotions though near completely straight acting. _

_Snake on the other hand was a very different story as far as Hal was concerned, he was a powerhouse of testosterone and masculinity, he attracted a lot of female attention which he rarely even acknowledged due to his near single-minded solitude, but he would take flirtatious pot-shots at them. _

_Though he looked and behaved completely heterosexual, there was only some exceptionally rare hints that he had any other preference. Hal had researched online that the only 'category' closest to Snake's was 'Hetroflexible', being defined as a person who identifies as Heterosexual, but occasionally engages in same-sex sexual activities. Hal was certain that it was a love for him alone that made Snake cross that gap as he had had no obvious interest in men before._

_Though Hal could not understand Snakes anger and aggression at the insinuation that he was a homosexual or Bisexual, Hal thought that there could be issues at play he knew nothing about, or he was simply in denial. All Hal knew were there were some words that are best not used and some topics best not mentioned. _

_Hal thought that just maybe his lover was ashamed, either due to conditioning or he was actually scared because of expectations._

_Hal wished they could get to the stage where Snake would open up to him and explain how he feels and what turns him on most. He only knew from actually having sex with him what he seemed to enjoy most, but even then he was never totally open, he knew there were things he shared only with Meryl, like there seemed to be things he only shared with Hal._

_Hal also saw his lover had a ferocious sexual appetite for sex with his girlfriend and was certain that on one or two of the occasions where he had been intimate in some way with Snake, he had slept with Meryl the same night. _

_He just wished he understood what Snake felt and knew one day he would open up to him. Otacon also knew one day he would have to ask his lover to choose, because Hal was a jealous man, and he wanted a total and exclusive relationship with his David._

Otacon mind raced with these thoughts as he felt himself close to excruciating pleasure feeling the man he loved so much make him his own, All that went through Hal's mind was how he wanted to live with, and look after this man for the rest of his life.

Hal tried to move away but his movement was far too restricted.

"Please,...please stop..." he murmured a little over a whisper as he was pushed forward and backwards in time to Snakes thrusts. He lover seemed to hear him but kept the pace consistent.

"Dave, please...I mean it...please stop." Hal stammered.

Something in his voice made his partner stop and withdraw as he caught his breath back. "Are you okay Hal?" Snake whispered in a husky amorous tone as he slide his arms under his lover to embrace him.

"Ohh yea...It's just...I'm so close to cumming right now, please don't touch me. If I cum I'll be far too sensitive to do much with, and ahhh, I don't exactly recover quickly." Hal smiled as he spoke and moved himself to sit upright, his hair was a mess and had fallen over most of his face.

He pushed back up his glasses with the wrists of his bound hands as Snake crawled over him to kiss the side of his neck and curl his fingers through his hair. Otacon picked up the glass of cold water and poured a little over his erection hoping it would stem him falling off the edge he was so close to.

"Fuck this shit." Snake said as he grabbed his knife off the table and cut through the bind on Hals wrists. "I want you to be able to hold me, touch me, hit me...whatever you want."

Otacon put his arms around Snake's thin waist right away and held him close as he lay flat on the bed.

"David, I love you so much, you have no idea how much I've suffered up to now." he whispered.

"I like suffering..." Snakes whispered as he gave him half a smile. Snake sat up in between Hal's legs and ran his finger down the sleeve of the open shirt Hal was still loosely wearing.

Hal drew his legs up slightly, bent at the knees as he lay flat on his back on the bed with Snake sitting up between his legs. Hal smiled at his partner as Snake re-entered him.

Otacon sighed as he lay back and slowly ran his hand up and down his own cock as he was being fucked.

"Oohhh yeaa..." Hal sighed. "I want to swallow your cum so badly..." Hal added as he looked at his lover.

"Ohh?" Snake grunted in reply.

"Yeah, In Anime, it's a man's essence, his life force, his DnA profile. Its why women are so desperate to obtain it to duplicate the man they love and infuse him with their own essence." Hal whispered.

Snake looked uncomfortably thoughtful for a moment. Hal realized he was not drawing on any good comparisons, was raising sorrowful juxtapositions and wished he hadn't mentioned it at all. He knew his lover was a artificial replica of another man, who was fighting for his own identity both sexually and biologically, and he didn't want to hurt his feelings.

Snake held up one of Hal's thighs close to his chest as he moved against him. With his free hand he gripped Hal's long length and started aggressively jerking him off.

Hal was overcome by shock and feeling his lover's hands around him was drawing him swiftly to his own end.

Otacon's eyes became lucid and rolled up as he started to breathe heavily as his lovers pace picked up.

"Ahhh...careful please...you're grips really tight..." he implored.

Otacon writhed on the bed and grabbed the bed-rail above his bed as succumbed to powerful feeling of being anally penetrated and masturbated at once as he moaned and cried out loud. Hal's long fringe hair was stringy and stuck to his face in thick strands which were soaking wet with sweat as his head hit the headboard of the bed every thrust inwards.

"Your ass is so tight,...ohhhhhh its great." Snake said in little more than a weak breath as sweat ran down his face as he forcefully thrust in and out of Hal.

Hal had a expression of near pain and total pleasure on his face.

"Ahh,...ohmygod...I'm going to cum so hard..." he mumbled as the music in his head became unbearably loud as his heart beat loudly in his chest as he heard the storm raging outside.

Snake pulled out of his lovers' tight anal canal and pulled his hand away.

"No-No-No! Don't Stop!...please..." Hal begged as Snake leaned over to kiss his chest while delighting in seeing his lover suffer.

"Please...finish me!...Do you want me to beg?" Hal cried.

Snake carefully moved the bits of wet hair stuck to his lover's damp face as he stared down at his powerless friend, who was about to fall the greatest height in the world.

"Are you sure you want to cum now?" Snake asked.

"Yes! Yes! I, don't have as much restraint as you. I can't suffer like this trying to hold it off, I...would literally kill, right now, to feel your lips around me..." the words escaped Hals mouth only as wheezy sounds.

Hal reached down to grip himself and make himself cum, but his lover grabbed his wrists to stop him. Snake held his wrists down to the bed above Hal's head as he climbed on top of him, reentering him and kissing the side of his face.

"I'm going to fuck you up so hard, you better fucking beg." He whispered in Hal's ears as he pushed in and out at speed.

Hal released several cries out loud as he reached orgasm, shooting a stream of his warm load surprisingly high and streaking up Snake's chest as he spasmed under his lover making the grip he had on Snake internally tighter in waves.

Snake got a wet-wipe and cleaned himself down as he looked at Hal who was motionless and soaked with sweat lying down with his arms still above his head.

Hal opened his glazy eyes slowly and looked up at his lover, even though he had an vacant expression in his eyes.

"I love you...more than anything." Hal whispered weakly.

"Good, because I want you too." Snake said as he kissed his spent friend.

"Pleeease, no more cryptic meanings. Did you mean you 'want me too' or did you mean 'you want me to love you'?" Hal added, as he knew his friend better than anyone and had learned to even think along the same lines.

"What do you think gorgeous?" Snake grinned.

"I think,...I want a facial." Hal giggled as he got his breath back when the afterglow faded.

"Ohh?" Snake grunted in reply as he moved up and grabbed the hair on the top of Hal's head, pulling his head up between Snake's thighs.

Hal opened his mouth raising his tongue slightly as his lover rubbed himself over his open mouth. Hal softly gripped him as Snake pulled his head back and forth.

Hal licked and sucked his lover eagerly hoping to give him the same kind of orgasm he had felt.

"Ahh-Ahh!...easy on the hair please.." Hal said as he pushed Snake backwards onto the bed as he continued to orally satisfy his partner.

"You look so fine." Snake breathed.

"What! Now? Or when I'm all shiny and clean?" Hal asked comically.

"All the time. the way you move, walking around all fine like that in the horrible clothes you wear. It does things to me. It shouldn't...but it does." Snake sighed as he drew near his climax finding the words hard to project as he fought for air.

_Hal pretended not to notice, but he studied every tense on every word. He felt that strangely Snake was being openly truthful, maybe around now was the time to ask him questions, though Hal had to make sure it didn't look like a interrogation every time he was about to cum. All he knew is that he had more insight into his strange lover in the last three minutes then hes had for many days._

_Hal wanted to know how he 'moved' differently from other men. But more importantly why Snake said he felt he shouldn't allow his slender friend to arouse him. This to Hal, was the tip of a iceberg he could see coming clearly, David had issues and Hal was going to one day clear them all out for him._

Hal reached around his lover's wide, muscular thighs to grab his firm round ass. Hal wondered if he had ever felt how great it was to be filled deep inside, or to feel the sensual sliding sensation against the delicate rectal membrane, Hal personally enjoyed it even more due to his partner's lack of a foreskin, making him move more forcefully against him in a unbuffered way.

He read that this kind of sexual stimulation directly affects the prostrate in men causing the kind of powerful orgasms that the men feel and get so addicted to. Hal knew it was far intense for him then orgasming through masturbation or oral sex.

Snake was in Ecstasy as Hal flicked his tongue in all the right places while stroking his lover's length up and down at first softly, then more aggressively as he read the signs in his military lovers body language, as he lay on his back murmuring the word 'Yes' in his guttural voice softly in repetition.

Almost without further warning, Snake cried out and jerked suddenly, arching his back up from the bed as he climaxed four bursts in quick secession. The first of which streaked his warm 'seed' across Hal's face and over one of the lenses of his glasses.

Hal quickly drew his glasses up to the top of his head, slicking back his mess of wet hair as he sucked on his lover. He lamented missing the first two as he had no warning his partner was about to cum.

Hal though, loved his first facial; it was warm and comforting for him. The second burst hit Snake's chest and ran down, mixing with Hal's own ejaculate which he found very touching for a multitude of reasons.

He licked the rest of his partners cum of his shaft as it ran down the side of Hal's mouth and down his neck. He loved the taste of his partner's warm liquid and would always swallow it to mix as much of himself with his lover as he could; it made him curious to know if his partner wanted to do the same.

To Hal it was the most valuable thing in the world, regardless of the possible dollar value in genetics research due to who and what his partner was.

Hal cuddled up to his partner's left side as he was laying motionless while his breathing returned to normal. Snake reached his right arm over to embrace Otacon.

"I love you David." Hal whispered.

"I couldn't live without you Hal." Snake whispered back.

"I know what you mean...and it's good enough for me." Hal said as he kissed Snake's neck.

* * *

Hal brought breakfast on two plates back into the bedroom he was staying in.

"Here you go." Hal said as he put a tray on Snake's lap.

"Wow! what's all this?" Snake asked as he looked at all the food on the plate.

"Okay, well...when I lived in England with some of my family for a short time, this is the kind of breakfast they have over there...ahhhh not all the time, but mostly on Sundays." Hal answered as he undid the cuff on his lover's hand. "Eggs, sausages, beans, bread, tomatoes and orange juice!"

"Well...looks good, fattening but good." Snake smiled as he picked at his eggs.

Otacon stared into space. "My step-mother used to say...that, only someone who loves you a lot would take the time to make all this."

"Nice." Snake answered.

"Not really, but I certainly love you, for all the right reasons, in all the right ways." Hal mentioned.

"Hal, you don't have to worry, or justify anything to me, I know how you feel." Snake replied as he reached out to his lovers hand. "-And, I have the proof." He added as he pointed to the ring on his necklace.

"David, when are you going to pick up Meryl?" Otacon asked as he ate his breakfast.

"Uhh, in about five hours, why?"

"Well theres not much point in my going with you to pick her up, I may as well stay here and pack my things."

"Well I'll be taking you to the airport...to...say goodbye properly."

"Yeah ahhhh but, it wouldn't BE goodbye, you'll be coming out in two months to stay with me in my apartment, it'll be alittle cramped but at lest now we don't have to worry about setting you up a bed. Hal grinned.

"Haha, no you won't." Snake laughed as he scratched the back of his head.

"You know, you need to say the word and I'd come out to live with you here."

"That's all we need, all three of us unemployed." Snake joked.

"Although, I think Meryl would find out quickly, I mean...I'd give myself away I just know it. I can't hide my love for you." Hal said in a loving voice.

"Ahhh you and Meryl living together is strictly out of the question, for more reasons then I have time to say." Snake said bluntly.

"Well, as long as you didn't want us both in bed at the same time I could go along with it...-" Hal started but was cut off by Snake.

"HAL! Don't be sick!"

Otacon stared at his ring lovingly. "I can't wait to have you over! I'm going to miss you so much I hope I'm still alive by the time you get to New York."

"You will be, anyway you'll want to see what I've bought for you..." Snake said casually.

"What?! you're getting me something?" Hal asked excitedly. "Ohh wait, its probably going to be something practical and heartless...like a radio or something."

Snake grinned while shaking his head. "Why does everyone think I'm so inappropriate?! it WAS going to be something special for you Hal, as impractical as can be. after all, you got me a ring...for friendship only"

"Really?! ohh wow now I can't wait! Though...I want nothing for my Pc system!! I want something affectionate!!" Hal shrieked like a excited bride.

"Ahh, you'll now have to wait and see..." Snake said knowingly as he got out of bed to run a shower. Snake thought to himself that he was glad that some of the barriers between himself and his little friend were down, and he felt assured as well as irritated by Hal's constant reassurances of undying love no matter how much he would not admit it. There were some things he wanted to tell Hal just before he left, things he had wanted to tell him for a long while.

Otacon collected the empty plates and glasses, excited over his seemingly happy relationship.

**Please Click To Next Chapter: Meryl returns / A emotional betrayal.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Split Personalitys Chapter XIII Meryl returns / A emotional betrayal.**

Snake was looking up some information on his main Pc system while Otacon was in the shower. Snake rubbed his wet hair with one of Meryl's hair towels as he scrolled down on the mouse reading the articles Hal had uploaded onto their site.

Otacon stepped out of the shower and pushed his hair back as he glanced in the mirror. He then noticed a bottle of dark brown hair dye in the cabinet, he picked up his face cream and walked through the main living room into the room he was staying in; the room they slept together in.

Hal plugged in Meryl's hair dryer and stood naked drying his long, shoulder length brunette hair which had a few premature silver streaks which he was self-conscious about now as Snake had mentioned them. Hal was only in his thirties but like his father before him, he had silver hair young.

Otacon sprayed himself up and down with body spray. He didn't use men's' body sprays which are normally musk or spice based, as these naturally appeal to women. He thought they smelt so nice it would be too distracting for himself.

He didn't wear women's as he didn't particularly like the floral or citrus smells they use, which are naturally supposed to attract men. He finally found a non-descript one he actually liked.

Though there was one he loved most of all, and that was the type Snake used, distinctly male, very strong, and it hit you like a brick wall before you even saw him.

Strangely, Snake said he hardly smelt it and it had no effect on him when he did, he didn't think it was all that great but it was functional. But it had a stranger effect on Meryl then it even did on Hal.

Otacon rubbed some facial cream into his face as he dried his hair, he had a small regime of cleansers, toners, exfoliating creams, shaving balms, night and day creams and much to the amusement of his workmates a plain lip balm.

The only person who had more of a regime was Jack, though his included platinum peroxide highlights for his already bright blond hair and even foundation.

Jack was every bit the _bishōnen _which was a image Hal understood from his love of Anime, but it seemed to have no western variant so to most people, Jack just got the label 'Gay', the fact that he actually had gay leanings was totally coincidental.

His hair had dried and he ran some gel through it before He got dressed, and sat on the bed spraying his glasses with lens cleaner.

He heard typing sounds coming from the living room, he was thankful Snake wasn't watching any more pornography. Hal was slightly irritated by his partner's strong preference for women.

Hal always felt inadequate when he glimpsed those near mechanical, large breasted women with perfect hair and nails plying their time-honored trade, screaming on cue, assuming the inevitable positions, homed by repetition.

Otacon walked into the living room and saw his partner sitting, smoking at the computer wearing just a couple of necklaces', loose three quarter length slacks which had wet patches where his wet hair dripped down his shoulders and back.

Snake looked away from the monitor and glanced at his partner. Otacon saw he had grabbed all his lovers attention and saw him eye him up and down quickly.

Snake couldn't help noticing how fresh and clean Hal looked, how nice he smelt, how white his teeth were, how his bright glasses sparkled and how clean and styled his hair was in sharp contrast to the way he looked last night when he was naked, writhing on the bed used, spent and marked as Snake's property after being unloaded on. He loved the purely dirrty side that he didn't know Hal had, though he had no idea he brought it out in him.

Hal was also empowered by the knowledge that Snake had let slip about the - 'way he moved' and that his partner thought he looked 'Cute' and 'Fine', these where incredible compliments considering his lovers character. Hal tried to ignore the 'Horrible clothes' bit.

Otacon turned around to face Snake and Lent against a table by the wall.

"Does Meryl want to dye her hair brown?" Otacon asked.

"Not that I know, why?" Snake answered as he watched the screen.

"Ohh I saw a bottle of Dye.." Hal recalled.

"Ohh, that's mine." Snake answered casually.

"Yours?!" The shock was apparent in Hal's voice.

"Yea, I'm not really a brunette." Snake said as he took a deep breath on his cigarette.

"What?! You're not?? since, since when?! what's you're natural hair color?" Otacon said with his eyes wide.

"Since always, and I'm blonde." Snake answered.

Hal was totally shocked. Finding out his lover was a blonde excited his fantasies in a strange way, it was a shame that when he tried to mentally picture it, it only conjured up darker images that both men wanted to forget.

"So ahhh, bright blonde, ash blonde...platinum blonde?" Hal pressed.

"Hmmm, Blonde as in goldish hair, I'm not good with names." Snake replied.

"Wow..." Hal said half dreaming.

"Hal, what have you got on you're face?" Snake asked as he took the cigarette out of his mouth to tip into the ashtray.

"Face cream, why?" Hal asked.

Snake shook with laughter which looked almost like a cough as he blew smoke out.

"David, what do you wash your face in?"

"Water, and soap...optional." Snake replied.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk, Dave you really have to look after your skin! You have to use a day cream with a SPF factor or you'll get lines and signs of sun damage and premature ageing." Hal pointed out.

"Hal, don't worry. I'm thirty-five; I don't have to worry about premature aging or sun damage." Snake casually replied.

"And smoking is very bad for your general health and it also destroys your skin...ahhhh, even though you look so great doing it." Hal said in what Snake grew to learn was his seductive voice.

"Is there such a thing a looking great smoking?" Snake asked puzzled.

"Oohh yeah..." Hal breathed as he smiled at his partner and licked his top lip slowly.

Snake's eyes darted from one of Hal's eyes to the other as he swallowed hard and cleared his throat just before the cigarette fell from his lips suddenly into his lap burning him. He jumped up dusting himself off shouting obscenities comically.

"So then, how is that?" He asked as he sat back down.

"Well, watching you smoke turns me on...amongst other things.." Hal said lightly as he slowly and purposefully walked over to the Computer table with his hands behind his back.

Hal bent in towards Snake, Leaning downwards with his hands flat on the table.

He was a fast learner and he put into practice even the slightest bit of information that gave him more ammunition in his fight for his lover's heart, he purposefully and slightly exaggerated his motions to make them a little more noticeable.

"You've gotta be kidding..." Snake replied in disbelief.

"Uhh ahhhhh.." Hal said in a seductive tone while shaking his head slowly.

"So, whats the 'amongst other things' then? Anything I should be warned about?" Snake asked.

"Well, I like to take it up the ass...-" Hal rolled his eyes up as he closed them a moment while lifting his head slightly. "-..Very much so. I like to suck cock...yours. I like to be submissive...sometimes..-"

Hal said as he walked around to the back of Snake's chair and placed his hands on his partners shoulders-

"I'll do virtually anything, always want to try new things. I can't get enough of the taste of your cum, and of-course, I like to watch you smoke...-"

"You hold the whole pack up to your mouth and pull a cigarette out with your teeth. Then you light up..And breath in, holding a plume of smoke in your mouth before you close your mouth, and the way you sigh as you breath in and out...in fact, I just think I like to watch you put things in your mouth..."

Snake blinked rapidly as he stared at his friend in shock. He thought it was weird as he saw smoking as functional, it was stress relief and he was addicted to the the nicotine.

"Hal...have you been on energy drinks or something? Because YOU'VE had WAY too much caffeine, I've never heard you talk like this...Its like you're turning into a male...Meryl"

"Well, you know what I like...how about what you like?--what really...gets you off?" Hal whispered in his ear.

At that moment Snake's mobile rang. "..Don't answer it..." Hal whispered. "-..You don't have to answer to anyone.." Hal said as he started to kiss and suck Snake's neck.

Snake glanced down a moment and saw Meryl's name on the display. He quickly grabbed the phone and answered. "Meryl!" Snake said excitedly while he was enjoying the smell of Hal's hair-gel.

Otacon jerked his head backwards and rolled his eyes in a fed up fashion while breathing in sharply.

"Dave! They finally let me out of confinement! I wanted to call you right away, I've missed you sooooo much." Meryl exclaimed with a tinge of desperation to her voice.

Hal decided he wasn't going to be defeated by a woman who wasn't even here. He lent back down and started to kiss Snake's neck and suck on his ear as his partner bent his head to the side welcoming the affection from the other man.

"I've missed you too...I just want you...home.." Snake answered in a husky tone.

"Ohh I bet you do!" Meryl giggled.

"I'll...be, headed out that way in acouple of hours to pick you up."

"Well, My credits getting low, I'll call you when your on your way! see you soon sweetie." Meryl added cheerily.

"Yes, okay." Snake added as he waited for her to hung up.

"David...am I number two?...Am I your contingency plan?...or your entertainment?" Hal whispered as he traced the lines of Snakes lips with his index finger.

"...No, nothing like that." Snake replied.

Hal pressed his index finger onto the center of his partners lower lip and lent down to kiss him.

With their mouths millimeters apart, they could feel each other's warm breath.

"Why are you doing this to me..." Snake whispered.

"Because I can. because I want to,...and because you want it too." Hal whispered back to his friend.

"You're only going to make me ill-er. It's dangerous because, I'm...so attracted to you.."Snake said in a breathy tone.

"Dave, we're both young, healthy people. We have our whole lives before us, and we were lucky enough to meet each other. So, please, stop living your life for other people and live it for yourself now, before it's too late." Otacon said as he reached out to touch his partners hand. "You can't wait to be loved Dave, you have to go out and find it for yourself...like I have. Don't look for labels to categorize yourself under."

Snake stared at the serious expression on his partners face while taking in his words slowly.

"I would love to be able to say I was Gay, or a Bisexual, but I'm not. Sometimes in life you'll meet someone who changes all the rules. Some people just click, and it doesn't matter what sex they are, you find yourself drawn to their soul. We just click." Hal said as he snapped his fingers infront of Snake's face.

"How many men have you slept with?" Snake asked in a low tone.

"None, except for you." Otacon answered slightly surprised by the question. "So, that means I cant be straight right? Dave, just accept that it took ME to bring this out in you, and it took YOU to bring this out in me...we just click. Love makes people click"

Snake gave him a lopsided grin. Otacon was slightly relieved that his feelings and attempt at a explanation were obviously acceptable.

"So, if you think I go to Gay bars looking for guys to give it to me...I don't, cause I'm not interested. You seem to think that Bisexuals go around sleeping with whatever they come across, well they don't. They just can't call themselves straight after having been in a same sex relationship, even if they just clicked with someone.

There are always going to be all the weird kind of people you think about when you mention these labels, but we're never likely to meet them...thankfully." Hal answered.

"But Hal, what about after me?" Snake enquired.

"What do you mean 'After you'?" Hal replied.

"Well, If I wasn't around anymore then...what would become of you?...and...what would you look for?" Snake asked as he stared at his cigarette packet.

_Otacon looked ashen and his heart ached at the very thought. But he thought he understood the question. _

_He felt his lover was referring to the silent death sentence he lived under, the virus that was set to a random value which would ultimately claim him at any time. _

_Hal also believed he was referring to their sex life together, the way Hal took his lover into his body, the only way he could. would he be happy in a relationship where this didn't take place, could he ever be happy with a woman...or even another man._

_Snake asked a question Hal did not even want to contemplate._

Dave...don't ask me that, it hurts too much. I don't want to think about it! I don't know the answer and its another reason I want to spend every second I can with you, but...one thing I am sure of...is that...I'd probably follow you." Hal said after a minutes' silence of thought.

Snake lent over to kiss him. "So..what do you think I am then?" Snake asked trying to lighten the mood.

Otacon knew this could be a very loaded question, and was careful with the answer in case it was querying about their relationship or how others view him, but it was even more important to be honest.

"I think the term is Hetroflexible, Basically a totally straight guy, who maybe just clicked with another guy once. Which is the only reason hes not called...'Straight'." Otacon answered while waving his hands around.

"You and all your new words! I HAVE to look this up.." Snake said with a smile and a mesure of disbelief as he turned to the computer screen.

"Be my guest..-" Otacon answered as he kissed the side of his partners face. "-...I've never lied to you, anyway No-more labels!! I think your obsessed!" he said as he went off to make them coffee.

"Anyway I have to go pick up Meryl soon...wanna come?" Snake called out to the kitchen.

"Depends how you spell the word 'Come'" came the romantic reply.

"Do you want to come WITH me to the mainland to pick up Meryl." Snake rephrased.

"Ahhh, nah I have to pack my things, and anyway I don't think it would be wise for me to set foot in that Hospital, I'd probably end up staying hehe." Hal called back.

"I'll miss you." Snake replied.

"Well at least I won't sneak off and catch a earlier plane..." Hal said as he walked back into the room with coffee for them both. "Do you realize how heartbroken I was? how long I cried?."

"I'm...I was upset and confused."

"Well, you have to promise! no more mean words, and no more abandoning me." Hal answered as they moved to go sit on the sofa.

"I'd never abandon you." Snake said as he looked into his partners wary eyes.

"It looked like you might in New York. Dave I'd loved you since shortly after I met you on Shadow Moses Island, its why I couldn't keep away. I kept finding you no matter how inhospitable you were and regardless how you kept roughing me up. Now I know its part of your character, but I didn't then. Well back then, sitting on a sofa having a coffee with you after a night of passion was purely a dream."

"Glad I made someone happy..." Snake mumbled.

"When will you be back?" Hal asked with a sad tone to his voice.

"Well, about a hour to get there, maybe a hour talking to Doctors, then a hour to come back. Lets throw thirty minutes in to cover delays." Snake answered.

Otacon put his cup on the floor and threw his arms around his partners neck. "Its going to hurt that we're not here alone any more, and it'll hurt that I can't get near you when I want to. I don't want you to just forget me because I'm not around."

Snake lent forward holding his thin partners waist to comfort him as he saw Hals eyes were welling up. "Hal, how could you think I'd 'forget' you?!"

"Well, when Meryl gets back you won't think of me at all..." Hal said in a mumbled voice due to having his face buried in Snake's shoulder.

"That's not true!...Hal I understand how you say I neglected you before...but...-" Snake became lost for words.

"Have things changed..?" Hal's voice wavered as he asked.

"Hal, you...mean alot to me...and...I...I...need a smoke..." Snake said as he got up quickly and walked over to grab his cigarettes.

Otacon looked up at his passing lover and looked at him with pleading eyes, which had reddened due to his impending tears.

Snake walked out of the room, his hands shaking as he tried to light his cigarette and his heart pounding inside his chest.

* * *

_Liquid: "...Poor girl kept calling out your name...-"_

_Liquid: "-...Stupid woman...falling in love with a man who doesn't even have a name.."_

_Solid: "Maybe it's time I live for someone else..." - "..Someone like you..(Meryl)"_

_Mantis: "You don't like girls!?"_

_Otacon: "So, This is where we say goodbye to our loves aswell..."_

* * *

Hal went to collect his things from the bathroom trying to avert his mind, he certainly didn't want to cry _again _in-front of his partner.

"Are you...sure you want to stay here?" Snake asked while leaning smoking, against the door-frame of the bathroom watching Hal pack all his washes and creams.

"Yes Dave, But be quick...I'll miss you till you get back." Hal answered with his back to his partner.

"So...how about a hug--err cuddle?" Snake mumbled in a low tone as he stood there with his arms out.

Otacon turned around in a instant to embrace his lover.

"Is there, anything I can do for you...before I go?" Snake asked affectionately.

"Well I take it you mean 'Anything' we have time for? How about cuddle me, kiss me and never let me go...ever?" Otacon answered hopefully yet with a sense of irony in his voice.

"I can do some of that..." Snake smiled back.

Snake leaned in to kiss his little friend. the feel of Hal's insatiable and wanton lips caused a undeniable burning sensation deep in Snake's chest, a strong need to shelter and protect another man, a weaker man.

Hal's tongue caressed his lover's as they stood there with their bodies pressed together, joined at the mouth, standing in the bathroom. Hal leaned his head back submissively, feeling himself devoured as Snake started to suck on his tongue. The taste of tobacco and second hand smoke filled Hal's mouth in the most Serene and virtually sexual way.

The clock in the living room started to bleep signalling the hour. Snake begrudgingly pulled slowly away from Hal, who was still standing there with his eyes closed.

Hal quickly grabbed Snake's arm at the elbow as he turned around to leave. "You leave me weak...when you kiss me, and when you mean it..."

"I'll be back soon.."

"Okay, I love you..." Hal murmured.

* * *

All Hal wanted was to leave everyone behind, move to a new state with a new job and live with Snake in their modern alternative gay relationship. He knew that in a whole new surrounding they would be accepted for who they were, and Hal thought they could then be a open couple.

He often wondered if Snake would stay faithful to him, though he had no reason to doubt it except for his pre-occupation with women.

Hal sat down in the living space after his lover had left and looked all around him, taking in the sights which had become his temporary home for a week. He thought of all the things that had happened in that time.

Every room he walked into seemed to trigger some memory of the events that had transpired there, as he looked at the fireplace he thought about how Snake shoved him before they argued after dinner. He walked by the Kitchen remembering the different meals that either himself, Meryl or David had cooked there, also where his reluctant lover had hugged him upon learning of his injuries.

He walked by the kitchen table where he and Meryl had their three-in-the-morning chat and where Snake would later confront her over the repercussions of their pact. He walked by the toilet area where He, then subsequently Meryl would be ill.

Hal walked by the shower to collect his cosmetic creams as he lovingly recalled sitting in the bath as Snake brought him a sandwich and washed his hair while they poured their heart out over the recent events.

He walked by the room he had been lent for the week, this room had the very best memories, every time he and Snake had been in this room together it had always been glorious. He recalled Snake seeking him out after they returned from the bar, him lovingly picking Hal up and placing him on the bed before making love by firelight.

_And then there was last night._

How could he ever forget? Finally having his lover's complete attention, making love five times in one night in a chorus of discovery and adventure. They made love in many different ways, experimenting with everything and anything they wanted to. Experiencing Ecstasy when things when right, and giggling like naive newlyweds when things didn't.

Hal saw a side of his lover he had never seen before, open to suggestion, caring, giving, sharing, All the traits Hal knew he had that he never exhibited. Until last night, he had never really heard David laugh, but found out he had a throaty wheeze of a laugh, very different from Hals own high pitched, girlish giggling.

Snake was a incredible lover, But Hal found himself silently sworn to secrecy the same way Meryl had been.

Hal went over many other little memories as he collected his things from different rooms. In the living room was Snake's desktop PC, Hal thought he may aswell see what kind of hardware it had and wanted to know if it needed upgrading.

He turned the computer on and it flashed up Bios information which he scanned quickly. He could tell it was a older machine and nothing like his top-of-the-range system at home and at his works.

A thought then came to him to read Snake and Meryl's E-mails but found they password protected, he had none of his bypass programs with him and it would take too long to write one.

He thought he maybe as-well search the Internet history. He saw a massive back-load to gun and weapons sites, political information, pornographic video sharing sites, news and current affairs, ammunition information, bondage items and information sites, online auctions and military news.

He followed the links to the bondage site and saw all manner of restraints, corseted latex and shiny plastic clothing. He knew his lover had a taste for corseted style sneak suits for military use and would see the same trend in some of his casual clothes, there were always laces, over thick duel-buckled belts, metal or plastic bits.

One item that had been clicked on and caught his eye was a thick collar, which was about the length of a average persons neck, attached at the bottom was a long elegant silver chain which would easily reach to the persons hips if they were standing. He couldn't get this out of his mind and was determined to get one, hoping that it was something that his lover, rather than Meryl, clicked on.

Hal remembered how hard his lover labored making love to him as he was bound. Snake's thrusts were hard and meaningful as he gripped Hal's hips, sliding in and out of his well lubricated anal canal easily and at speed.

Whenever Hal tried to move, tried to pull his hands apart or felt visually dis-empowered, he could clearly hear and feel the effect it had on Snake. Hal was almost pleased that his lover had sweat so much and had a bad backache the next morning.

He was even more aroused by the sound of his lover's moans and sighs as he kept the pace up. The way he even slapped Hal's rear once leaving a disciplinary sting that made the smaller mans heart miss a beat.

Snake even relinquished all his power to Hal, allowing him to blindfold and cuff him to the bed. Hal was nearly too nervous to do anything and he even doubted his ability to perform seeing his powerful lover so venerable and immobilized.

Hal knew deep down that he himself was a willing submissive masochist; he just didn't feel he suited the powerful role of a sadist. Snake though, seemed to enjoy finally being able to leave his leadership behind for a brief moment, and for a man who had experienced so much pain in his life it only seemed natural that it would twist his mind and make him enjoy the suffering.

Hal started to believe that Meryl, who was very much the excitable aggressor, would enjoy lovingly binding, slap and 'abusing' her lover, making it a carefully balanced situation.

Hal tried to work it all out in his head and this was the only conclusion he could come to:

_Was Snake more often than not the submissive one? He seems to love both roles?_

He clicked the links in the history to the pornographic videos on the sharing site. He watching and skipped through some of the footage, but he felt nothing. Hal sat there wondering what was wrong with him. He thought maybe it was because he wasn't in the mood. Thoughts screamed out loud in his head:

**_David has seen this../Why can't I get aroused..?/I just don't understand../Why me..?/He loves women so much../He loves women TOO much/Maybe this isn't the kind of porn I'd like/Sure I like women../I still feel nothing../Maybe If I win David's heart he'll still long for women..?/I'll let him sleep with women/No...One woman a week../No..One woman a month../Damn it hes MINE!../I just know I'll lose him.._**

Hal caressed himself trying desperately to excite his senses but he just couldn't get it up. He wrote it off to the fact that maybe these were not his taste in women. He wondered if his lover pleasured himself, but that made him think of Snake. As mental images flashed in his head of his male lover.

He had never seen him pleasure himself, only run his hand up and down himself acouple of times gauging the strength of his erection in the same way someone would pump a loaded weapon. Hal felt the first hot flush of life flow into his flaccid manhood. He stopped right away as the exercise was ruined.

Hal just didn't understand, He thought maybe it was his low-to-nonexistent sex drive. He often also worried that maybe he couldn't keep up with his Lover's silently emence sexual appetite, but thankfully to date that had not happened due to the pure lust he felt every time they were together.

Hal remembered with horror a time when they lived in Manhatten breifly. Snake went into a all night bar and wanted to drink to the early hours after a bad bout of depression and multiple arguments with Meryl.

Drinking shot after shot while shamelessly flirting with the bar maids and lap-dancers as he slipped large tips in their pockets and slapped their rear lightly when they walked off to get more drinks. All the girls would crowd around him making Hal feel jealousy, despair and inadequacy for one of the the very first times in his life.

The women had no idea who he was and what he was capable of. All they saw was a rough but good looking muscular man in his thirties, who tips generously and seemed to like the ladies company.

He went to Snake and Meryl's bedroom to look through all the drawers. He found assortments of weapons, guns and even a taser. He opened the lowest drawer and found some of Meryl's underwear, some were plain & functional, and others were more fashionable.

He also found her small bras which almost looked like a trainer type. After going through the contents of the drawer he found a small lacy bodice made of black and pink lace and shiny plastic bits. The front and back were held together at the sides by crossed laces with a bow at the bottom.

It had a matching little skirt with suspending belts attached. The cup-size on the bodice was the same small size as Meryl's bras, he also found a small, nearly full bottle of lubricant and handcuffs.

Hal thought that maybe due to her small stature, some extra lubricant would make sex more comfortable. He found it funny that he needed a whole lot more to facilitate himself having sex.

Hal was curious as to what kind of sex life his partner had on the other side of his double life. All he knew was what he had heard in girl talk between best friends. Even though he was desperate to hear as much as he could, there was only so much he could hear while trying not to be caught listening.

But Hal was always disgusted by what he heard. He heard his partner liked to give oral sex and was apparently exceptionally good at it, he also knew first hand he liked to receive it. Hal had had sex with a woman, but he felt awkward and uncomfortable, he felt like he was on show and had to perform, and he hated it.

The social and psychological circumstances of the situation aswell as the act itself nearly turned his stomach. He wrote it all off to the fact he was a abused child and even then was confused about his sexuality.

Hal powered down the computer and went to get some of his clean clothes off the radiator as he heard his Laptop bleep, signaling a received E-mail. He was surprised to find out it was received in his personal E-mail account that virtually no-one had the details of.

Hal was shocked as he read the contents of the Anonymous E-mail which charted leads and information about their planned target, a tanker. However the most important part that caught Hal's eye was the sender, only signed as E.E.

* * *

Otacon heard the door lock clicking and walked back out to the kitchen to greet his lover. He saw Meryl walk in with Snake following her carrying her bag.

"HAAAAL!!" Meryl screamed as she ran forward and wrapped her armed around his neck kissing his cheek. He loosely put his arms around her waist.

"Hmm, You got a better greeting then I did." Snake grinned.

"Ohh yours comes later.." She smiled as she lightly slapped the side of Snakes face.

"So then!" Meryl said as she sat on a chair and dropped her elbows on the table as she supported her head with her hands. "What are you gonna make for dinner...?" She asked as she batted her eyelids at Hal.

"Ahhh,well...I don't know...I'll have to look around and see what we have." Hal replied.

"What do you want Hal?" Snake asked as he opened some cupboards.

"Mushrooms!!" Hal answered quickly as Snake turned around and rolled his eyes.

"You always want Mushrooms.." Meryl laughed.

"Well he asked..." Hal said smiling.

"Uhh...Yea, but you don't just wanna eat fuckin' mushrooms" Snake answered laughing while trying to open a can and smoke at the same time.

"Well...not the, 'fucking' variety. Ahhhh I prefer the chestnut ones,...myself." Hal said comically as he pushed his glasses up.

"So speaks the mushroom connoisseur!" Meryl added as she saluted Hal.

Hal saluted her back.

"You know, you should talk to Mei, she loves mushrooms! and knows all the different kinds!" Meryl said.

"Oohhhhh!" Hal replied as he fluttered his eyelids.

Meryl lent in to Hal who was sitting next to her and pretended to whisper loudly. "...Then, I think you two to have a dirty fling...buy lots of mushrooms...in a plain brown paper bag...go find a cheap motel...-"

Snake looked over his shoulder with his eyebrow raised and a look of total disbelief at their conversation, while Hal was uncontrollably giggling in a very high pitched and contagious way.

Meryl continued "Yea! I bet she'd be up for it too!"

"I assure you, I wouldn't though.." Hal answered.

"Come on Hal! do it for your country!...AND, your mushrooms!" Meryl spoke in a authoritative manner. "You know, I think Mei fancies you too, most of the girls in the office do lust over you Hal..."

"DAVE! Are you just going to stand there and let her pimp me out to Mei Ling like this?!" Hal called out.

"Ohhh now that depends, on whether or not we all get to watch..." Snake answered, stretching his syllables as he prepared food with his back to them.

Meryl shot her hand up right away "I'll referee it!"

Hal playfully grabbed his clothes together at the neck. "Never! I shall die with my honour intact!"

"What honor is this then? I think you lost all of that when you pissed yourself up." Snake added.

"Ahhh yea, but...THEY never saw that..." Hal replied.

Meryl got up and grabbed her case and started to head to her room. "Well, I can't wait to get into some clean clothes."

Snake put the lids on the boiling pots and walked over to take the heavy case from Meryl. "Doctor said no exertion, remember?"

"Okay, I'll remind you of that later..." Meryl said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Meryl stopped as she entered their room and looked around abit confused. Snake threw the case onto a chair in one motion.

"Dave...you didn't sleep in here.." Meryl said as she looked at the bed.

"Uhh?"

"The beds exactly how I made it...with the pillows in the funny way you can't stand." she added with a hint of humor.

"Ohhh yea, I slept in the living room." Snake answered as he searched his pockets for his cigarettes.

Meryl walked over to the bed and sat down. "...Where in the living room did you sleep?"

"...Uhh...On the sofa..." Snake grunted as he walked over and sat down next to her. "Meryl...Are you okay?".

"...Dave, why did you sleep in there?" she asked with a serious face.

"Well...I,...I don't know, I was watching Tv and...I don't know." Snake answered pensively while looking down as he put his arm around her.

"Dave,...are you mad at me?" Meryl asked as she turned to face him.

"NO! No, certainly not. Why would you think that?" He asked.

"Well...Something in me says that...something is very wrong. I mean, you insist on showering before and after we make love, you've started to hide our things, sometimes insist on whispering, you're always on edge...It just...makes no sense...unless you've developed Obsessive compulsive disorder or something.." She said with a uneasy smile.

"Meryl, please. You know how I feel about you, and you know me. Sometimes, rarely,...I do things...that I can't help. But...I worry about you and...Just...just, remember that no matter what...I, I'm always worried for you." Snake stammered uncomfortably.

"Yes, I know you...and that's why I worry. Even right now you're not making any sense..-" Meryl said with a look of concern as she held his hand. "-..Are you saying you can't help hiding things? Whatever is troubling you...please share it with me.."

Snake smiled back uneasily.

"Because we're partners, and you've always been upfront with me about everything. We know everything about each-other because of that honesty...you're the only man I can trust.-" Meryl said as she looked into his light green eyes.  
"-I know that everything comes out in the wash at the end, and there is NOTHING that you could tell me that I couldn't understand, and you've told me some right shockers.." She said as she smiled to him in a reassuring way.

Snake stared back with a glazy-eyed look of finally understanding the gravity of the mounting situation, what he stands to gain, and more hurtful for him, what he stands to lose.

"Just a thought...Hey, I'm going to go check the food." She said as she got up and walked back into the kitchen.

Snake followed her into the living area and sat down in front of the computer to check the Philanthropy forum, while lighting a cigarette.

Otacon opened his laptop on the table. "Dave...ahhh, we need to talk sometime. I got some new information and checked some fresh leads on that Tanker we were watching, so I hacked a government defense mainframe site while you were picking up Meryl...you'll love what I think is in that hold."

"Not this again" Meryl said in a bored voice as she walked over to look through Otacons notes.

"I'm intrigued..." Snake said as he leaned on in on the table to look at the information on the screen.

"Well, if there's anything interesting down there, why don't we just get some photographic evidence and post it up online?" Meryl added as she turned to Hal who had the monitors lights reflecting off his glasses.

"My thoughts exactly." Otacon answered.

"I can do this." Snake answered with a smile. "I'd be in and out of there before anyone knew a thing."

"But, we're talking about a tanker Dave! You can't just walk on-board, according to this information it's heavily guarded by a Navy presents right up to the point it leaves the harbor, I think." Meryl pointed out.

"No, I can't just walk on-board, I have a better idea..-" Snake smiled as he put his hand on top of Hal's hand which was resting on the mouse, he clicked online to call up maps of lower Manhattan.

"-..Look, it has to pass this bridge. If I jumped off the bridge onto the deck..." Snake added with a grin.

"You're wild!" Meryl said she smiled at Snake.

"Well, there are lots of things that would have to be planned though. I would want to go through every detail with Natasha and you at least a month before we do this. Looks like a trip back to New York is in order." Snake said as he turned to Hal.

"Hey! I bet we could do this too! all we'd need to do was sort out some guide ropes, maybe use my stealth camo just to cover your landing alittle...-" Otacon raced excitedly. "-But I'm going to be there myself, I'll follow the boat and monitor situation. There's no way I'm letting you go in without me."

"You can if you want Hal. but this is a easy one-man-job." Snake replied.

Otacon smiled at his lover. "Then it can only be easier! I'm sure it'll be a nice clear night, you can use your 'drop' idea undercover of dusk, sneak into the hold...Easy-peasy.."

"Lemon-squeezy.." Snake smiled back as he finished the phrase.

"You're out of control Dave...and I love it!" Meryl said as she slapped Snake's rear and went to prepare the food.

Snake walked over to the kitchen door that lead out to the back of the Cabin-House. "Hal, come over here, I want to show you something." Snake called.

Otacon walked to the door frame then stepped out into the bitter cold of the winter wonderland. His trainers sank into the deep snow, soaking up his trousers to below his knees.

"Look up, all around you." Snake said to his friend.

Otacon's eyes widened as he stared open-mouthed at the beautiful pink-red 'sun-set' and the belts of northern lights which colored the sky in hues Hal had never seen in his life. Even though it was freezing cold outside the house, and he could barely stand to lose the heat which he could clearly see escaping from his mouth, but he felt wrapped in the warm splashes of color and light in the sky all around him.

"Dave!...This is...it's...beautiful..." Otacon said as he looked at the northern lights and the strange color of the sun with nearly tearful eyes.

He felt arms wrap around his waist as Snake stood behind him and rested his chin on Hal's left shoulder. Otacon's heart sped up as he wanted to remember this, the most romantic moment of his life.

"Do you get to see this all the time?" Otacon asked as he looked around at the snow-capped mountains and the icy air cleared out his chest.

"The sun like this? yes. The northern lights...not always." Snake answered in a husky tone.

"I'd love to make love out here..." Otacon said in a very low tone.

"If you lay down in that snow, you'd lose digits quick.." Snake said practically.

"You'd keep me warm...You've always looked after me. You've saved my life...in far more ways than one." Otacon whispered.

Snake turned his friend around and put his hands just below his rear, at the top of his thighs and lifted him up. Otacon wrapped his legs around his lover's waist as Snake turned and pushed Hal up against the wall of the side of the house.

Snake kissed Hal as he held him up against the wall. Hal wrapped his legs around Snake's waist and Hal kissed him back as he listened for Meryl's location in the kitchen.

"I love you so much Dave, Please share your life with me...-" Hal whispered as his voice wavered from his emotions. "-..I don't want to go back. There's nothing for me there without you and I just can't wait for you to come back to me."

"I know Hal, but I'm counting on you to keep things together, including yourself, until I arrive back in New York, I...need some time to myself to work some things out, I'm...- ." Snake was cut off.

"What's wrong Dave? Please tell me you haven't changed your mind...I don't think I could cope with that." Hal said as the happiness bled from his eyes as he gripped his lover's hand.

Meanwhile, Meryl walked into the spare room to put the last of Hal's laundry in his room. She knocked on the door but there was no reply so she walked in, barely able to see over the mountain of folded clothes she was carrying.

As she placed them on the bed next to his laptop, she saw a plastic resealable container with a partially empty body spray of Snake's along with his black sweater just sticking out of the side of Hal's case.

**Please Click to Next Chapter : The After-Dinner 'Chat'**

**Readers' Note! **

**Hiya! In response to some questions and interesting reader analysis of the characters behavior and psychology:**

**Yes! I welcome people sending in their ideas of what's going through the characters minds and readers' psychological assessments (They make such a good read from what I've been sent so far!).**

**As always thank-you for all msgs and feedback.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Split Personalitys - Chapter XIV : The after-dinner 'chat'**

Meryl looked at the two items that only just stuck out of Otacon's case. She looked out into the corridor then pulled the case open and started looking through the things inside.

She found a small plastic bottle with less than a quarter of its liquid inside, she picked it up to read the side but dropped it back as soon as she realized what it was.

She turned on his laptop and snuck out to the kitchen while windows booted up to look through the window. She saw Snake and Otacon chatting, so she headed back into Hal's room and looked through the links on the desktop and the history of pages visited.

Meryl found lots of political sites and news articles as well as Anime forums and discussions. then she found a link to a gay video sharing site as well as gay advice pages and items. Her eyes widened as she clicked through linked that had been clicked. Then she finally had the realization:

Uhhh...Hal's Gay?!

She remembered the significance of of some of his behavior both here in Alaska and back in New York. Back when Natasha, Mei, David and Hal were first forming Philanthropy. Mei once asked Meryl if Hal was gay, she laughed it off knowing he had some vague affiliation with women and just generally thought he was a bit of a loner.

Hal's mannerisms did seem to make him a target for gay jokes, the way he would flutter his eyelids and roll his eyes when he wanted to stress something he said. Everyone just thought he was Metro-sexual, only the demographic of a gay man.

Meanwhile outside, Snake was answering Otacon's questions about life in Alaska, living off the land and their plans for the group.

"So, you're coming back to New York a little sooner?" Otacon asked.

"Yes, well I haven't spoken to Natasha for a while and I would like her input on all this." Snake answered.

"Yeah well, shes helping Mei keep the office in order until I get back, and yes, she's still the only person who smokes more then you do." Otacon smiled as he looked at his friend.

"Well, I told you she was smart." Snake grinned.

"Well, You're not going anywhere without me Dave. I'm coming along to watch over you."

"Hal, we've talked about this...-" Snake cut in.

"Yea, Yea I know..." Otacon said throwing his hands up.

"This is precisely the reason I refuse to work with Meryl, it'll make you a target like it made her a target." Snake said as he sat next to Otacon.

"Yes but I promised you I would stay objective, I wouldn't take unnecessary risks if anything happened to you." Otacon sighed.

"Hal, I really don't know how we're going to fit all this around our work, which is why I'd rather not work with you." He said as he noticed Hal roll his eyes.

"No! I don't trust anyone else! and no-one can help you like I can! And if 'All This' means our relationship, I don't think our personal relationship is anyone's business but ours, and they'll never know and I'm certainly not saying a thing." Otacon assured his lover.

"I understand that Hal, but this will affect our work, trust me on that." He answered as he put his hand lovingly on Hal's knee.

"It won't! And anyway, I've made you a promise! We're a couple and I'm with you to the very end. No-matter what happens, no matter where you are or what you do - I'll be there." Otacon replied as he put his hand on his partners.

"Hal, you're amazing." Snake said in a low tone.

"Well, only for you Dave. Cause you gave me a chance. I know I've practically forced myself on you...-" Otacon smiled as he giggled a moment. "-..But, I know you love me too. Though, I feel guilty having chased you around."

"Chase away. This is mutual." Snake replied.

"Soo - Ahhh, how come you never tell me you love me directly. I'd love to hear it once or twice, and when exactly did you realize you loved me too? When was it?" Otacon asked excitedly.

"Hmmm. The day I looked at you and my dick got hard." Snake said perfectly seriously.

Otacon stared at his lover for a moment then burst into a fit of gigglish laughter. "So...I take it that's never happened before for a guy?"

"Never."

"Sooooo, did you 'notice' me early on...?" Otacon pressed.

Snake tried to look indifferent and casual. "Uhh...well, yea." he said in grunts.

"Wow, now I do feel pretty special! Though, that pretty much happened to me every-time I saw you." Otacon whispered.

"Hehe, so that accounts for why you were always following me around - which I did notice after a while."

"You want to know when I fell in love with you? When I knew for sure?" Otacon asked in a amorous voice.

"...Yes." Snake smiled back.

"Well...Ahhhh, it was while I was working for your brother on the island, you were somehow captured and placed in confinement. The guard, Johnny, was a friend of mine and told me which cell you were in.

I knew I loved you before I came to see you and gave you that silly ketchup. I was...so hurt you had been tortured and suffered so much..." Otacon said in a low tone.

"Well, it can happen, and if I'm ever captured I'm prepared to die. I can't have you fall apart over it, if you come with me into a situation, you will only go as a spectator. I don't want you around because you'll let your feelings run away with you and may get innocent people hurt trying to 'help' me." Snake said practically.

"Dave! I promised!! If anything does happen to you - I finish, or abort the mission - Then, I can kill myself." Otacon said as he looked down to the white snow.

"Hal, that's not the attitude! You can't kill yourself just because your partner dies, that's weak and defeatist." Snake said in a irritated tone.

"No, its not. Could you live perfectly normally, and in time, get a new partner if something happened to me?" Otacon nervously asked.

"Hal, that won't happen cause I insist I'm never going into a mission with you. I can't be put in that situation."

"Dave, you're not only my business partner, but my partner in life and my sexual partner. No-one could take your place. There would be NO getting over you and NO life after you - Well, none that I would want to live." Hal said quietly.

Snake stared at his little partner who was starting to feel the cold, but looked back at him so lovingly.

"David, All I want is to live with you, to share with you all life experiences. We'll get a flat together in a new state someplace, and you can sort out which months you'll spend here with Meryl and which months you'll spend with me. I'll cover all you're flight expenses. We could have such a wonderful life." Otacon said hopefully as he envisioned it.

* * *

Hal had an idealistic view of his life with his partner. He felt that if they had a apartment far away from everyone they knew, they could live as a open couple and Hal wanted to have all the normal life experiences with his partner. He had covered everything. He had heard a rumor from his partners brother that he was sterile, but he didn't dare ask him directly about it.

He did notice there was a total lack of contraception in the house that he could find at least. He thought that maybe David knew for sure and had obviously told Meryl. In a strange way Hal was glad no woman could just come along and do for him the one thing he could never do, bring forth his child. He didn't even know if his partner had any paternal instincts or if he would lament it if he could never had children, or if he really couldn't be bothered which was probably the case.

But if he told Meryl, he was very curious to know what her reaction to a possible life without children, even though she was only a teenager and wanted a military career, so having children would be the last thing on her mind and Hal was certain she just couldn't see that far ahead in her life.

But Otacon was resourceful; if his partner ever wanted to experience fatherhood then Hal would find a surrogate mother for his own biological child and raise it with his partner. Hal loved children, but had resigned to the fact he would never have any. He had a strong maternal instinct and would love it when friends brought in their baby photos or their wives would visit and he got to hold and cuddle a baby. He didn't know if this would irritate his partner or en-flame friends and society.

All of Otacon's deepest insecurities started pouring out into his mind...

Why did society force Labels and conditioning on people? All Hal wanted to do was live with the man he loved.

Otacon was brought up with the strict beliefs that there was no existence outside the Christian ideals of 'normality' and that any deviation from those values was a crime against nature and the natural order. This was the kind of belief system he now saw through; he believed any creator would be a loving and forgiving one. He was worried that maybe his lover had been subject to some kind of social conditioning as-well and he swore to free his mind, he felt that he could live the life he wanted to live and still be a 'good' person in any religious sense.

So, by pursuing his heart is he supposed to be looked down upon because he fell in love with another man? Who himself was not even born naturally? Would his own segmented family view these as two 'universal' crimes'?

He also read that in some Asian cultures, a man's ejaculate was his very life-force and was of limited supply and had to be guarded and used wisely, which forced the conclusion that the only 'wise' use was to release in a woman and thus complete the natural cycle of life and bring forth a child. Was Hal supposed to feel guilty that he was brought to orgasm by another man? And that it was wasteful because it is unproductive in the biological sense?

Was their love and the physical practice of their love supposed to be meaningless or wrong? To the best of his knowledge Hal believed he was the last man standing in the last generation of Emmerich's, If he pursued the life he wanted with the man he loved and did not bring forward a new generation, was he really betraying his family and ancestors?

He knew he did want children in some vague sense, but so many ideas and ideals swirled around in his head.

His lover would have no legacy but a sorrowful tale, he was a artificial replica of a man that lived once. Snake was born with expectations upon his head, a role he HAD to fill, a pre-determined path to walk. He was just this generations version of 'That man'. Hal was shocked how his twin brother had turned out so completely different even though outwardly he looked practically the same.

So much conditioning, so much guilt.

Free your mind.

He had a suspicion his lover was sterile, so maybe he had at least, escaped being 'figured' into the universal riddle of the natural order. After all, 'Normality' is only governed by the majority and the indoctrination people are all born into, depending on what part of the world you were born into.

Free Your Mind.

* * *

"Hey! I bet dinners ready!" Otacon said excitedly as he stood up.

Snake walked into the kitchen to find it empty, he looked around for a moment.

"Meryl?!" Snake called out.

"Ohh! Just a minute!!" She called back hurriedly.

Meryl dashed back into the kitchen and started to pour out the boiled water from the pots. Otacon went to go change his wet trousers which were covered in snow right up to his knees.

Snake walked behind Meryl and put his arms around her, pressing his body right up against her. She playfully pushed her ass back against his hips as she prepared their food.

"Hmmm you're giving me ideas.." He whispered in her ear.

"Is that all I'm giving you?" She said in a provocative voice.

"Well if you push back any more you'll feel it." He answered while smiling at her.

Otacon walked back in and sat at the table, he tried to ignore Meryl who was leaning back on the cooking table, with her arms around Snake's neck kissing him.

"Hmmmm, I'm hungry!!" Otacon said out-loud hoping to end the torment he was starting feel hearing the wet sounds their kissing made.

Meryl broke off from her lover to turn around and pick up the plates for the table.

"So then Hal, anything new in the world for you? How's that girlfriend of yours?" Meryl asked nonchalant

"Nah...Not really. Ohhh, my girlfriend? Ahhhh, doing well I hope." Otacon answered in a flustered manner.

"Well the whole time you've hardly spoken about her. What's her name? Maybe I know her.." Meryl asked.

Snake threw a seriously thoughtful look at Meryl as he detected her sudden interest in his personal life. Nothing got by Snake when Meryl was concerned, they knew each other inside out.

"Ohhh you don't know her...and ahhhh, I wish I didn't!" Otacon answered before he broke into a nervous laugh.

"Aww don't you love her?" Meryl pressed.

"Well ahhhh, yeah ofcourse..." He stammered as he looked to Snake to 'save him'.

"Well if shes trouble then you're best rid of her. No point talking about it." Snake said in a matter-of-fact way.

"Well...you can't just cut someone out of your life just like that!! I mean, how long were you two together?" Meryl asked.

"Ahhhh about, four months...so it's no big deal..." Otacon said trying to look busy eating.

"So, have any of the others met her? Mei didn't know her..."

"Meryl...can we please not talk about this? I've been trying to put her behind me, she hurt me ALOT, and no you didn't see it cause you weren't there..." Otacon answered with a hint of irritation.

* * *

After dinner, Snake was topless in the living room smoking while sitting down at the PC and looking up some information, Meryl was in the kitchen reassembling her automatic gun after cleaning it, she planned to get some target practice in before it got too dark and Otacon walked into the living room with his laptop hoping to avoid more interrogation by Meryl over his fictitious girlfriend.

"David did you memorize the map for lower Manhattan yet?" Otacon asked trying to make it look like he wasn't staring at his lover.

"Of course..." Snake sighed.

Otacon peeked over the top of the monitor of his laptop looking at the way Snake clicked the mouse and scanned the pages he was reading. Snake turned around to see Otacon look down again.

"Hey, Hal..." Snake almost whispered in a seductive breathy voice.

"Huh?" Otacon answered as he looked back up.

Snake blew out some smoke rings as he lent back in his chair with his arms on the arm-rests, he crossed his right leg over the other in the typically male way, having the ankle of his right leg resting above the knee of his left.

Otacon nearly dropped his expensive laptop and held it down to his lap to try and hide his arousal; He knew his lover was purposefully teasing him insanely. Otacon's eyes were wide and fixed on his lover as he heard the clicks of Snake's lighter as he re-lit his cigarette.

Snake threw his lighter on the desk where the pc keyboard was on as he leant his head back against the chairs head-rest blowing plumes of smoke into the air, sucking on the end of his cigarette as he held it up loosely to his mouth and breathing in deeply sometimes to retain the smoke in a totally homoerotic way.

Otacon looked through the doorway to see Meryl still working on her gun. He put his laptop down on the low table in front of the sofa and walked slowly over to his partner.

Hal placed both his hands onto the end of the arm-rests, bent over slightly leaning in, right in front of Snake's face.

"..You keep doing this...and I won't be responsible for my actions.." Otacon said calmly without a hint of the natural whine in his voice.

Snake blew a lot of smoke in his face in reply.

"Well, if you don't like it...-" Snake said in a husky tone of voice while he lent back arrogantly into the chair. "-...Then you can suck my cock Hal..."

Otacon stared at him blankly a few moments, then pushed up his glasses.

"Is that what you want?" he said whispering as he pulled at Snake's belt.

"...Do you want me to get on my knees, and blow you in front of your girlfriend? - Cause I'll do it."

He saw from Snake's face he didn't like that idea one bit.

"No, that's not a good idea; I guess you'll have to wait..." Snake whispered back before noisily sucking in a lung-full of smoke.

Otacon sat up on his knees to the side of the Pc chair looking up at his lover and powerless to either pleasure himself or his partner. He just looked up lovingly and obediently.

"Want some?" Snake said as he passed his cigarette to Otacon.

Otacon took it eagerly, held it up to his mouth and breathed in as much as his lungs could take, then swallowed, causing him to start choking so much his glasses fell off as he lent forward coughing.

Snake got off the chair and lent down next to his partner, rubbing his back. "Are you alright?"

"I am now..." Otacon said to the general direction of where his Snake was. Hal had hopelessly bad sight and saw his lover only as a blur without his glasses.

"Dave, where are my eyeglasses..?!" He said as he searched the floor around him.

Snake leant over and grabbed his thin clear-framed, square shaped glasses off the floor and placed them lovingly back on his partners face. He saw Hal's pupils find and focus on him right away.

Otacon looked up shyly to his lover. "..You don't think I'm pathetic do you? I mean, I can't even smoke...It doesn't look like I have alot to offer you sometimes..." Otacon asked in a low tone.

"Hal, you're very special and I'll take good care of you." Snake said as he held his hand.

* * *

Later on, Snake was in their room going through the printouts of all the information, trying to find a good way to go about their plan.

Meryl walked having had a shower after her shooting practice. She had a small towel wrapped around her body, and it barely covered her rear. She looked into the mirror in their room as she towel-dried her hair.

"Whatcha doin'?" She asked as she looked at her lover through the mirror reflection.

"I think I've found the perfect way onto this tanker, and with these floor-plans...it'll be so easy." Snake replied as he turned around and glanced at her bending forward to the mirror. "-...Have I told you how much of a nice ass you have?"

"All the time!..." She said with a naughty grin. "..So, what are you going to do about it?"

"What? Your ass, or the Tanker?" Snake asked as he looked through papers and maps.

"Me, of course!" Meryl answered as she got out her face cream.

"Well I have a choice, Either I can do nothing and finish these plans as Natasha's going to call me later...Orrr, I could throw you on the floor and fuck you senseless.."Snake answered in monotone as he looked through the papers casually.

"Hmm I'd pick the second, however, You CAN'T fuck me senseless..." Meryl answered.

"Uhh?! Really?...Is that a challenge?!" He replied as he dropped the papers and stood up.

"Maaaaybe.." She added as she put her face cream on.

He walked up behind her and started to kiss the back of her neck. She turned around undoing his clothes and pulling his top off, she then pushed him backwards onto the bed and climbed on top of him, pulling apart her bath-towel.

His eyes widened at the sight of her naked, sitting astride him as he reached up to feel her small breasts.

"Take your clothes off." She ordered as she got off him and sat on the bed next to him.

Snake got up off the bed and stood up, he undid and removed the last of his clothes, and stood up before her motionless.

Meryl eyed his muscular yet lean body up and down.

"And you told me I had a nice ass?" Meryl said as she slapped his rear, walked around and knelt down in front of him.

She held his erect length loosely in her hand and looked up at him in an innocently girlish fashion as she slowly licked the end and all the way down the underneath, before feeding it all slowly into her mouth.

Snake looked down at his lover, placed his hand on the back of her head and moved his hips slightly forward and backward as she hungrily sucked on him. She knew exactly what he liked and how he liked it, as he knew how to please her in every conceivable way.

He picked her up and laid her on the bed as he ran his hands down the sides of her thighs which were either side of his own hips.

They had a bond and an understanding that seemed to go far beyond a normal relationship, they accepted each other for who they were and shared many of the same passions.

They also shared the same competitive nature which was matched and mismatched by their genders. Snake was her equal in so many ways, only Superior to her in the type of military knowledge that can only come with experience and age. But she was a fast learner and soaked up even the smallest detail he would impart to her.

Outwardly they were a awkward but perfect match for each other, but such relationships can turn very self-destructive as theirs often did. The line was further blurred by the kind of sexual relationship they had which sometimes bordered on the mildly violent, their arguments had the same passionate ignition to them, But Snake loved her desperately although his need for emotional self-protection forbad him from voicing such a thing openly and Meryl loved him just the same and didn't want to lay her emotions bare either.

Snake looked upon Meryl with such love and affection he couldn't picture a life without her and they had become accustom to the lifestyle they shared together, everything from their diet, to music, to what they went out to see.

But, Snake had no idea this was the final time he would make love to Meryl.

* * *

Otacon was watching a downloaded episode of a Anime he loved as he had finished packing his things. He noticed the house had gone quiet for a couple of hours and thought that Meryl was having a nap as Snake was going through the plan for their tanker assault in his room.

He heard some sounds in the kitchen and wondered in, he was hungry anyway and wanted a snack. He saw Meryl with a sleepy look on her face, dressed in only her bra and peddle-pushers picking from the fridge.

"Ohh Snack time huh?" Otacon smiled as he scanned the contents of the fridge to pick at afew items himself.

"Ahh uhh." She nodded with her mouth full. "Want some? Dave killed these things,like...two days ago. their really great!" She added as she held up some fish bits.

"Hmm I'll try one..I love fresh fish" He answered as he took cheese and sandwich ingredients out of the fridge.

"Yea but at least you don't eat it raw then expect a kiss afterwards..." She said with a playful look of mock-disgust.

"Ewww..That can't be nice!" He answered. "So, where is he? has he finished going through the plans? I spoke to Natasha and she's calling him sometime tonight to give him the low-down on it."

"He's asleep right now but hes finished whatever he was doing." She said as she put some ingredients on a plate.

"Ohh, I'll talk to him about it later I guess." Otacon said as he finished making a neat sandwich.

"You can talk to him in a moment, I'm going to wake him up to have some of these, though now that he's slept he'll probably be up all night.." She smiled.

They walked out of the kitchen into Meryl's room where Snake was peacefully asleep on his right side, with his left leg bent and drawn up slightly. Meryl climbed over him playfully and shook his shoulder.

"Dave,...Dave honey, wakey-wakey.." She whispered.

Snake opened one eye and sighed in a sleepy way while he stretched out and moved onto his back. Meryl climbed on top of him, sitting in a near sexual manner on top of him as she held the tray of snacks.

"Meryl,...you're insatiable..." He smiled trying to keep his eyes open.

"I think he's still asleep Hal" She said smiling.

**_Hal?!_******

Snake snapped both his eyes open, turned his head to see Hal sitting quietly on the chair in their room looking downwards.

"Uhh Meryl, I want to sit up..." Snake said as he lightly smacked Meryl's rear.

She climbed off him and sat next to him as she passed him snacks.

"Want some Hal?" Snake asked.

"No,...no..I'm okay thank-you." Otacon said quietly.

"Meryl, can you mix me a drink sweetie?" Snake asked as he turned and smiled to her.

"Sure, whatcha want?" She replied.

"The usual, please." he replied.

Meryl leaned over and kissed him. "Okay, double whisky coming up." she said as she walked off to the kitchen.

"Hal, are you okay?" Snake asked in a low tone.

"Would it matter if I wasn't?" Otacon mumbled.

"Hal please, you know I L..., I feel we have a special connection. I don't want you upset.." Snake grunted.

"Dave, I'm so jealous. It eats me inside really, really badly. I feel like I'm being used, emotionally, physically. I want you - all of you." Otacon mumbled.

"Hal, I want you too! But, it's complicated..." Snake tried to explain.

"But, what if you had to choose?" Otacon said as he looked up to Snake.

"I,...I can't choose...-"

"Why?!" Otacon said quickly as he nervously pushed back up his glasses.

"Because,..I I feel the same for both of you,...but,...in different ways...Okay this makes no sense.." Snake in a irritated tone.

"Dave, DO YOU LOVE ME?" Otacon said in a firm what quiet voice.

"Can't you ask me anything else? Like, do we have a special connection or something?" Snake asked.

"Well...Do we?" Otacon asked desperately.

Meryl walked back into the room with drinks. "Here you go."

"Can I have a drink? I think I need one." Otacon said as he reached for a glass.

"The answer to your questions' - '**Yes'**." Snake said as he handed Otacon a drink.

"Which question?! And, did you just mean 'Questions?' or 'Questions'?' "Otacon asked right away before he could stop himself.

Meryl turned to Otacon with a silly look on her face. "Hal...he was talking about your drink, silly!".

They heard Snake's phone in the living room start to ring, Snake got out of bed quickly and pulled on his combat slacks and searched for his phone after he walked into the other room.

"I bet that's Natasha about the Tanker info." Otacon said to Meryl.

"Yea, so he's actually going to jump off a bridge?!" Meryl asked.

"Ahhh...yeah, I think that's what he's planning. But I'll sort out some flexible guide robes and he'll have my Stealth unit, nothing should deviate from our plan, and the weather forecast says it will be a lovely warm, clear evening. Perfect for a landing like that." Otacon answered as he stared at Snake who was pacing the living room topless asking and answering questions.

"Are you okay Meryl?" Otacon asked as he saw Meryl drink a big glass of juice quickly.

"Yea, I think I'm coming down with a cold, I have abit of a sore throat." She replied.

"Aww, I can make you a honey and lemon drink if you want.." Otacon said lovingly.

"Nah, I'll live. It just makes my throat dry and sore." She said as she put her Automatic gun on the low living room table near the sofa.

* * *

Nearly an hour of planning and catching up on the phone had already gone by and the floor was littered with notes, papers and maps.

Otacon would sometimes ask Snake to repeat something or slow down a little so he could catch up writing the notes.

Meryl walked in holding a cup of herbal tea and walked by Hal who was kneeling on the floor, bent over writing notes while Snake paced the room on the phone, smoking.

"Well, I'm exhausted, and my uncles calling me early tomorrow so I better get some sleep." Meryl said as she walked up to Snake who was talking on the phone but stopped mid-sentence briefly to kiss her as she said goodnight.

Meryl walked out of the living room and went into her bedroom as Otacon put more wood in the large fire that heated and lit the room so much they hardly needed the light on.

* * *

After a few hours and several phone calls to and from Philanthropy members, things finally fell into a smoothly running plan for the evening. Now it was down to Snake and His skills to do the rest.

Snake was wrapping up the final plan and a inventory of the weapons, items and sneak-suit he would have to go in with, over the phone. Otacon gathered all their notes and put them casually on the table next to Meryl's gun. It must have been 34c in the warm living room as Otacon pulled off his shirt vest and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his grey shirt, which had thin pink and blue lines running down it.

Snake said his goodbyes after catching up with Natasha and congratulating her on the success of her book - 'In the Darkness of Shadow Moses', which he had even read.

"Dave - it looks like we're actually doing this." Otacon said as he took a sip from a small glass of wine he had left over from dinner.

"Well - I guess Mei was right yet again..." Snake said as he sat in-front of the hot fire.

"About?" Otacon asked as he moved up to sit next to Snake.

"- The Only thing that Never changes is that Everything changes." Snake answered as he bent his syllables like he always did.

"Well...Ahh, - I think a lot have changed for us - personally." Otacon whispered.

"Well..." Snake answered as he put his arm around Otacon. "...Everything changes..." He finished as he gave a near-full smile to his partner.

"So then, I am a part of your life then..?" Hal said as he tilted his head smiling, fluttering his eyelids subconsciously at his lover.

"Like I said before, A Big part.." Snake answered. "Isn't your back hot sitting there? You're right in-front of the fireplace." Snake added.

"Well, here I can sit next to you, and...You look so lovely here by firelight, I love the way those light green eyes of yours catch the light - it's beautiful to me." Otacon said in a near hypnotized yet loving tone as they sat in the dark room, lit only by the strong orange/red light of the large fire.

"Well...I don't think I've ever been referred to as 'Lovely' before. I think that's hit my Ego hard..." Snake joked while grinning and tapping at his chest as if he were pointing to a wound.

"Ohh! you know what I meant!" Otacon giggled slightly.

"You better not say I'm 'Pretty' cause it's REALLY cold outside right now..." Snake pointed to the door with his thumb.

"Ha-ha! Okay, no pretties..." Otacon laughed as he pushed up his glasses.

"Well you'd look a lot better if you shaved and got a haircut, your stubble scratches my soft and moisturized skin." Otacon said as he laughingly sent himself up.

"I like your 'soft and moisturized skin'..." Snake said as he tried to emulate Hal's higher voice.

"Dave, you're one in a million...and I love you so much..." Otacon said as he cuddled up to his lover.

"Noo, I'm actually two in a million...I think, but I believe the rest of your statement to be true.." Snake said in a strange form of humor about his own sad situation.

"Well...as long as I get to keep You I'll be happy." Otacon said as he looked up to kiss his partner.

Snake turned around to face the fireplace which Hal was in-front of and put his arms around Otacon's waist. He could feel the loud beat of the programmer's heart through his chest and knew that he was loved, and loved completely.

As their lips met, Snake closed his eyes slowly and surrendered his inhibitions and reservations to the slender man who was holding the sides of his face and kissing him so softly.

Meryl woke up and held her hand to her irritated throat as she reached for her glass on the bed table, but found it was empty.

Otacon unbuttoned the front of Snake's top and reached his hand in to feel his lover's body by the warmth of the fireplace.

"I love you so much..." Otacon whispered in his partner's ear.

"I know..." Snake said in a breathy tone as he rested his hand on the back of Hal's head.

They kissed and caressed each others face, with their bodies were firmly joined at the mouth as they kissed deeply mixing their saliva as well as their passions and dreams.

Meryl walked into the living space. Her eyes widened as her pupils adjusted to the darkish light of the room and she tried to take in the information her eyes were giving her.

Everything slowed down to slow motion as she stared in total shock at the vision before her.

Her partner in life, her lover, her man - A mans man, was on sitting up, leaning on his side in-front of the fireplace kissing another man.

_Another man._

_No, not just another man, her best Friend - Hal Emmerich._

_Another...man?!_

In this slowed second that lasted forever, she expected her lover to to attack Hal for trying to kiss him.

Her eyes didn't know where to look, her eyes darted from the hand Hal had in her lover's shirt, the way their mouths moved slightly as they kissed, the way Hal held Snake's face and the way Snake held his hand up to Hal head.

_He was kissing him back?!_

_No!_

_This is a dream._

_No...This is a nightmare._

Everything snapped back into reality as the glass slipped out of Meryls hand and took a eternity to hit the polished wood floor.

_There is a loud smashing sound. _

_Life has slowed down to nothing._

Hal slowly raises his eyes from his lovers face to Meryl at the door. He freezes as he feels himself completely paralyzed.

Snake slowly opens his eyes and raises them to see the look on Hal's face as a reflected image off Hal's glasses becomes clear. Snake sees Meryl in the reflection.

Snake turns towards the door to see Meryl standing there as if she were still holding the smashed glass, her eyes wide with shock and horror...slowly turning into rage.

Everything snapped with a instant, back into 'Real time'.

_The glass is smashed on the floor by the low table, which had the mission papers and her gun._

**Please Click to Next Chapter: Everything comes out in the wash/ everything changes.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Split Personalitys Chapter XV : Everything Comes Out In the Wash / Everything Changes.**

"YOU BASTARD!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Meryl screamed as she grabbed the back of Hal's shirt, pulling him away from Snake and to the side so violently that she almost completely ripped the shirt from his back.

"YOU'LL KEEP..." She spat as she pointed in Otacon's face venomously, then turned her attention back on Snake.

Meryl grabbed the front of Snake's open shirt and shoved him backwards, hitting his head against the stone of the fireplace, as she punched him repeatedly. Snake did nothing in particular but protect his head as much as he could and try to grab her wrists.

"Meryl!! Please, Please listen...This is all my fault, I did everything, it's ALL MY FAULT!! Leave him alone!!" Otacon shouted as he tried to pull her off his partner.

Meryl turned and looked at Otacon with disgust. She no longer saw her best friend, when she looked at him she only saw 'The other woman', she had too much of a vague understanding of the roles involved. She winded him with one punch to his lower stomach, then started to punch and slap him. She grabbed his hair and yanked downwards, bringing him to his knees as he screamed while he knee'd him in the face.

Snake got up quickly and grabbed her wrists. "MERYL! Stop it! let him go. You're hurting him!!Leave him alone!!" he shouted at her trying to be louder than the background noise of Meryl's shouting abuse and Hal's shrieking.

Meryl freed her hands, spun around and slapped Snake in the face so hard, it threw his face to the side, she then knee'd him between his legs, then turned back and punched Hal full in the face with such a impact that it cracked one lens and threw off his glasses.

Hal shoved her away forcefully, throwing her to the other side of the room, though he was weak in comparison to other men, he still had the strength of a man in comparison to a woman. Snake got back up, ignoring the pain that floored him and the cut on his head, he looked at Hal who was trying to stand up, propping himself against the wall.

She got up filled with anger and rage, her chest heaved as she fought for air. She stumbled forward and grabbed the gun off the table. Holding it sideways, she aimed it at Snake's leg.

"NOOOO!!" Hal screamed with his voice breaking as he held out both his arms and yanked her arm down, causing the gun to mis fire into the floor. She turned on him again, and shoved him forward with exceptional force towards Snake, who caught Hal as his legs gave out.

"Why?!...WHHHHY!!" She screamed at them, her eyes all red and watery.

"T-This was all my fault...I started it, I can't help it - I love him!! It's all meee..." Hal cried as he shook from pain and fear, the blood from his split lip and bloody nose running down his chin then fell to his ripped shirt.

"HAL!! WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!!" She screamed " He can talk for himself, I want to hear it from Dave.."

Snake held his hand out in a calming fashion. "Meryl...please, listen to me..." He said in his usual husky yet calm tone.

"...Your problem is with me...not Hal. DO NOT TOUCH HIM; you know he's never been in fight before..."

"Well he should have thought of that before he tried to replace me!"

"Meryl, no-one can 'replace' you! All I want is your forgiveness, even...after all that I've done..." Snake said as his voice faltered.

"WHAT DID I DO SO WRONG, THAT YOU HAD TO GO AND FUCK ANOTHER GUY?!"

"MERYL! WILL YOU STOP SHOUTING AT ME?!" Snake shouted back.

"I never even saw this coming..." Meryl said angrily as she looked down and shook her head.

"Neither did I" Snake whispered.

"He's done this to you! You were never gay! so, now you like men?!"

"No-no, I don't. Look, just tell me what you want!!...I'll leave, for as long as you want, for good if you want. What can I do to make this right with you??" Snake stammered.

"Ooohh haha." Meryl said in a forced mock laugh as she cried. "..You can't make this right for me...EVER! In fact I never want to see your face again. I'm leaving, and you two...can have each other, I'm calling my uncle to have me picked up tonight..."

"Y-you're not going to tell him are you?" Hal stammered. he was still on the floor in the cornor.

Meryl grabbed the remote from the table and threw it at Hal.

"WHAT?! And tell him I lost David to another MAN?! I'LL BE THE LAUGHING STOCK!! Ohhhh noo, I think of something to tell them, and you two WON'T look good. You're not getting away with this!!" She screamed as the remote disintegrated as it hit Hal's arm as he covered his face.

Snake bent down to look at Hal's lip and make sure there was no glass in his face from his glasses.

"David, why did you do this to me?! I mean - what the fuck?!"

"Meryl, I'm so sorry...Things just happened..-"

"THINGS LIKE THIS DON'T JUST HAPPEN!!" She screamed. "So, how long has this been going on?!"

"Alittle over a week..." Snake mumbled.

"WHAT?! You love him then, You actually WANT to fuck WITH HIM?! Do you actually love him??"

"...I'm sorry..."

"ANSWER THE QUESTION...Surely you can't love HIM?!" Meryl screamed.

Snake looked at her, then back at Hal, who was shaking and sobbing as he wiped his bloody face.

Hal looked up at Snake but could only see him clearly through one intact lens on his glasses.

"H-He doesn't love me - He loves you. - This-was-all-me-its-all-my-fault-he-didn't-do-a-thing-he's-just-using-me-I-made-him-do-it-I-orchestrated-everything..-" Hal sobbed as he weakly pointed up to Meryl.

"Hal that's crap! STOP TALKING SHIT!" Snake snapped at the man on the floor, halfway tempted to kick Hal himself.

Meryl Turned to Snake with rage in her eyes. "SO! What part of what he's saying is 'Shit' then?".

"Meryl! I know what I've done was wrong, and wasn't fair on you. I would do anything to gain your forgiveness...-" Snake said trying to keep his voice unbroken.

"Do you love him then?!"

"I love you - but you have to-" Snake started.

"AHHHH!! STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT!" She screamed at the top of her voice. "So...what about him then...?!"

Snake looked down on Hal who was holding his nose to stop it bleeding, he then looked back at Mery. He nodded his head very slowly.

"WHAT?!...So...you...and him...have been...-??" Meryl said before she rolled her eyes.

"I - I better get the fuck out of here before I kill you both! I hope it was worth it for you Dave, I really do. You had to have liked that shit..." She said as she picked up the half empty wine bottle on the table, threw it at Hal on the floor, turned and stormed out in disgust.

"I'm sorry David, I'm so sorry, I really am - I'm Sorry..-" Hal whispered over and over as he cried.

"Hal, this isn't your fault..." Snake said as he caressed Hal's face.

"You have to leave with me, you have to! She'll kill you - Dave please.. -" Hal begged as he cried, as his lover held him close.

"No Hal, I want you to head to town and get the next flight home." Snake said as calmly as he could.

"No,no! She nearly shot you, I'm not leaving you." Hal replied gripping Snake tightly.

"Hal, We've been lovers for six months - she wouldn't shoot me.."

"Then you have no understanding of a angry woman! Dave, Please, I'll beg you! Please, come back to New York with me."

"Alright - I'll pack some things and we'll leave as soon as possible. And DON'T go anywhere near Meryl." He said as he helped Hal up.

"Ohh no, Dave, you have a black eye..and your heads bleeding..." Hal said as he started to panic.

"Ohh don't be silly, that's nothing."

Snake walked Hal back to his room and sat him down. "Are you okay?" he asked his slender friend.

"I think so, I hurt though." Hal said as he pulled together the shreds of his shirt.

"Okay, you get changed and I'll grab some clothes. STAY HERE." Snake ordered as he walked off to Meryl's room.

Hal tried to stop crying as he made sure he had all his things packed. Hal started to hear raised voices, Snake and Meryl screaming at each other.

After about half a hour, Snake came out holding a case and walked back into Hal's room.

"Are you Okay Dave? You really need something on that head of yours..." Hal started.

"I'll do that later...We have to go...now." Snake replied.

* * *

In the waiting room of the airport, Hal was looking at the deep cut on Snake's head.

"This doesn't look very good Dave..." Hal said before opened his long coat and tore a shred off his torn shirt and walked over to the water cooler. He ran the tap on the material and walked back to his lover, who had his face in his hands thinking about the events of the evening.

Hal held the damp cloth up to his partners head, carefully wiping away the dried blood. "I had no idea she could get so angry...I was so scared. What do you think she'll do?"

"Uhh, .Probably burn my house down..." Snake said casually trying to lighten the mood, as his mobile rang.

"Dave, I promised you I wouldn't leave you, and I won't." Hal answered.

Snake answered his phone as Hal surveyed his lover's injuries, listening to Snake's conversation, occasional one-word answers.

"-Hmm, look thank you. I'll call you later when I can explain more...Okay, Bye." Snake said before he hung up.

"Who was that?" Hal asked as he sat next to Snake.

"Mei Ling,...Meryl called her and she wanted to speak to me to find out what was going on..." Snake answered.

"So, has Meryl told everyone?" Hal asked.

"No, Mei said that Meryl told her then swore her to secrecy." Snake said as he looked completely fed-up.

"So...Ahhh what did she tell her?" Hal said worrying what situation he was going to walk back into at the office.

Snake sighed and breathed in sharply. "...Ohhhh, that I'm a alcoholic, drug-addicted faggot who beats on her." He added as he lent back in the seat with his eyes shut.

Hal's eyes widened. "I'm sorry Dave..."

"Mei said that she wants to talk to you when you fly back, I also asked her to ask Meryl to look after the dogs at least while she's there. One is expecting her first litter of puppies and you can spend a whole night up helping birth them all. She also said that out of loyalty to Meryl she can't take part in the mission, she wants to be with Meryl when she flies back to comfort her at her uncle's.

"I know you love your dogs Dave, and don't worry! Mei is a decent girl! She'll want to hear it from us." Hal replied.

"Meryl told her about us.." Snake said as he looked down. "She didn't believe her."

"So what,...you know, SO WHAT?! I don't care!! I tell her myself that I'm a rampant homosexual...complete with Scissor Sisters and Village People on my MP3 if that's what she wants to hear. I don't care anymore. ALL I care about is you." Hal said trying to make Snake smile.

Snake opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of the waiting room. "...I just want this day to end..."

"Well look, at least Mei called you to find out what's going on, and Ahhh, Meryl is inaccurate, cause I'm the...gay." Hal smiled as he lent on his partner.

"Hal...that's not true." Snake said in a comforting voice.

"Dave it is, I followed you out here purposely because I was so in love with you. It was all me." Hal said as he rested his head on Snake's shoulder.

"Trust me; it wasn't your entire fault." Snake mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Hal asked surprised.

A loud voice came over the P.A announcing flights to New York that were now open for boarding.

"That's our flight!" Hal said as he grabbed their cases.

After boarding they looked for seats. They didn't pick their seat numbers as the plane was only half full and they wouldn't have been able to sit together. Hal pulled up the arm rest so he could cuddle up next to his lover for the flight home.

* * *

Finally they got out of the cab outside the building where Hal had his apartment. Hal opened the main door and started to ascend a flight of stairs that lead to a lift, Hal hit the button for the sixth floor.

As they stepped out of the lift, they walked down the corridor to the fourth door on the right. Hal searched for his keys and opened the door as snake looked around the hallway.

As Hal walked into his small hallway, he waved his hand over a square on the wall and all the lights came on.

"Welcome home Dave..." Hal said as he looked at Snake looking all around Hal's flat. "I thought I would be arriving back here all alone...without you. I never dreamt you would ever stand here, in this flat with me..."

"Well...surprise-surprise." Snake said unenthusiastically as he held his arms out.

Snake walked into the living room of Hal's apartment, it had empty boxes in one corner with Japanese brand names on the side, which contained bits and parts to a half built PC on the table.

It had a spacious living room, a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. Snake looked up at some shelves on the wall containing whole series' of Japanese Animes on blue ray discs. Snake looked on the shelve under to see rows of Japanese comics, Doujinshis,Graphic novels and one or two Hentai comics.

Snake picked up one at random that happened to be a Doujinshi and flicked through them. "...Cartoon porno...?"

"Ahhh not really, T-the stories are the important thing.." Hal said blushing.

Snake looked at the five remotes on the table. "Which one of these is for the TV?"

"Ohhh this one.." Hal picked one up and gave it to his lover.

Snake looked at the massive plasma screen in the corner of the room. "This is your Tv?"

"Ahhhh yeah." Hal said.

"Uhh...I've never seen one this big." Snake said as he bent down looking at all the lights on the front.

"It's such a shame you said that about my TV..." Hal said with a smile as he unpacked his and Snake's case.

"Hal...What are you doing?" Snake asked as he saw Hal emptying his case.

"Putting your things away.." Hal called from the bathroom.

"So...I stay here til I can find a place of my own?" Snake said.

Hal walked in right away. "..No!, You stay here until I can get us both a place somewhere else."

"But...Hal, I can't stay here living off you! you work full time and even then spend acouple of hours in the Philanthropy office in the evening." Snake said

"Well, I really can't see you getting a job down at Wall-Mart Dave." Hal replied.

"Dave, I'm very happy to provide for us both. But I plan on us moving out and getting our own place together in a new state somewhere."

Snake walked into the bathroom and saw Hal had lovingly placed Snake's razor and toothbrush by his own, he did the same with Snake's clothes after clearing out a drawer. The bathroom was very brightly lit with a massive mirror the size of the wall and a built in table running under it with all Hal's facial creams and washes.

Snake walked into the Bedroom to see a few Anime posters and a panel of a half-naked male Japanese anime character. It was a small room with only a bed, a bed table and a chest of drawers.

"This is the bedroom, please make yourself at home." Hal said.

"I'll be sleeping on the sofa." Snake announced.

"What?! no you won't..." Hal cut in.

"Hal, this is a single bed, its really small." Snake said as he pointed at the bed.

"Doesn't matter, The first thing I'm doing is getting us a decent, and big, double bed." Hal said excitedly.

Snake smiled at his slender friend as he climbed onto the bed, Snake was surprised how soft and springy the bed was.

Hal sat next to him on the bed. "What do you think? Do you think it will do us until we get a double bed?"

"Uhh...possibly, Though, I don't know If I can get used to these sheets and covers, their really slidey and SO cold when you get in." Snake said as he got into the bed.

"I know! I'll order a new bed for us tonight online, and I'll order lots of those big imitation sheepskin effect blankets and stuff, you'll feel right at home!" Hal said.

Snake pointed at some small components, a spycam lens with green and red fascias attached to a eye-shaped patch on the bed table. "What's this for?"

"Ohh.." Hal said as he scruffed his hair and moved up next to Snake. "-This is something I've been working on, well...I was, up to just before I left for Alaska.

This is a unit that should be able to switch between heat-vision and night vision. This problem is, I wanted it to be light weight, but to achieve that means that it could only fit over one eye...So, I was trying to build it into a Eye-Patch." Hal finished.

"Thermal and Night vision all-in-one?!" Snake said as he grabbed it and looked at the home-made prototype.

"Hal...you're incredible. Another reason why I...I'm so happy with you, I work with my hands, you work with your mind. Looks and brains." Snake smiled at Hal.

"Thankyou Dave. That means so much to me...you'll probably never know." Hal replied as he stared at Snake lovingly.

"And - What's this for then?" Snake pointed to a small bottle of baby oil.

"What do you think?" Hal smiled but blushed slightly.

"Ahh." Snake grunted. "So...maybe, you work with your hands sometimes too..." Snake answered as he threw Hal a grin.

"Ahhh...Not anymore." Hal smiled.

"It's also very hot in here.." Snake said as he fanned his face.

"Well, you've just stepped out of Alaska Dave; it'll take you awhile to adjust to a completely different climate." Hal said lovingly.

"Tomorrow we'll search for our new place together!!" Hal said excitedly.

"Okay." Snake answered as he pulled his sweater off.

Hal tried not to stare at Snake's naked upper body. "Well, after that long flight and everything you're probably exhausted, would you like a drink or anything?"

"Nah, I'm okay I think. Are you sure you don't want me to sleep on the sofa? There isn't much room in here." Snake asked as he took his clothes off.

Hal got undressed then put his phone on charge before he climbed into his cold bed.

"I'm sooo cold." Hal whispered.

Snake was by the wall in the bed, he turned around to hug his little partner. Hal hugged him back tightly, wrapping his arms around his warm, naked partner.

Hal fell fast asleep before he even realized he was no-longer cold.

Hal woke up the next morning to find his bed empty, he panicked as he grabbed his glasses off the table and put on his pajama bottoms and walked out looking for his lover.

He smelt something was cooking, it comforted him knowing that Snake was around somewhere. As he walked into the kitchen he saw his lover standing up by the cooker. He was smoking with his hair pulled back, wearing only his slacks.

"Sit down Hal..." Snake said.

"You...you made me breakfast?" Hal said in a sleepy voice.

"Well, you remember that big cooked breakfast you made me? ...well - This is payback." Snake replied as he put a plate in front of Hal then sat down himself.

"Dave...I love you-I love you-I love you! Its been...Years since anyone made breakfast for me." Hal said as he looked at his plate of eggs,beacon,hash browns,beans,mushrooms and sausages.

"Good, enjoy. I was a little surprised by the kind of food you have in your fridge. all processed or weird diet stuff. Though, I was interested how you seem to buy meat that's processed, sliced and packed in slices of ten, its funny." Snake grunted as he ate.

"Ha-ha well, you'll have to adjust to a whole different diet out here in the city...but, don't worry, I buy the diet stuff for me, I'll get the normal ones for you." Hal said as he smiled at his lover.

"Hal, if you lose any more weight you'll vanish." Snake replied.

"I buy them so I don't have to worry too much about my weight!" Hal said as he felt his stomach.

"Just do what I do - Exercise, workout, burn it off." Snake added as he opened a beer.

"Well I don't want to let myself go just because I've snapped up the man of my dreams. And, now that I have you - I can have all the exercise I want." Hal smiled knowingly until he saw the beer. "Ahhhh...Dave, its eight in the morning...and...You're drinking...?"

"Yea, nothing like a morning drink.." Snake grinned as he lit another cigarette.

Hal only hoped it wouldn't turn into a binge-drinking session like the ones he had seen in the past, but he was certain his lover was happy with him so depression shouldn't be a problem. The only thing that seemed to weigh heavy on Hal's conscience was that he was mostly responsible for the breakdown of Snake's relationship with Meryl. Even though Snake kept assuring him he wasn't, like at the airport, It was little consolation for Hal.

Hal walked into the bedroom to call the Philanthropy office to make sure everything was under control.

"Hiya! Its me Hal! I'm back a little early and wanted to see how everyone was!"

"Hiya Hal! Everything good here, Natasha's popped out for a bite to eat, but shes been running the show since you left." Said one of the new recruits.

"Well I'm back but with a very special person! You remember the man who was giving the talk with me at the convention? well he's flown back with me!!" Hal added excitedly.

"Which man?" Asked the recruit.

"Snake, you remember?" Hal answered.

"Ohh now I remember...with a name like that who can forget! and also all the weird behavior at the convention and in the hotel." the man added.

"What weird behavior.." Hal asked in a humorous voice. "Cause he's always like that."

"Well at the convention he was asking lots of questions for all of us to put to you."

"What? he was asking all of you to ask me questions?" Hal asked.

"Yeah..Then at the hotel we were all booked in, Jack saw his room door was slightly ajar when he walked by, and that Snake man seemed to be spraying a body-spray around the room, it was a little weird...but like you say - he must just be like that..."

Hal was stunned. But then some things did become clear to him, he was never totally in control.

* * *

A short while went by quickly, and although they had the mission coming up, Hal didn't want to hesitate in moving apartments and jobs so that he could fully start his new life, they were in the process of actually moving home.

"Well, that's the last of the stuff from the kitchen." Snake said as he sealed a moving box.

"Excellent!" Hal said as he jumped up from floor where he was packing clothes. "Well, virtually every-things packed! I can't wait to get the keys of our new place!" He added excitedly as he lent over to kiss Snake passionately.

Their kissing was interrupted by the sound of the door-com from downstairs. Hal walked over and answered thinking it was someone just wanting to be let into the building as frequently happened.

"Hello?" Hal said into the com.

"Its me Mei! open up!!" came the heavily Asian accented voice.

Hal hit the door switch right away to let her in as he poked his head into the now-empty kitchen to tell his partner Mei was here.

There was a knock on the door soon after, Hal answered and Mei excitedly jumped on him while making a big fuss over not seeing him for ages.

"HAL!! So good to see you again!" she said as she kissed his cheek.

"Its great to see you too!" he smiled back.

Snake walked into the room and waved as he lit his cigarette.

"Dave!!" she said as she hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry for the mission, but, I have to comfort Meryl. She is very upset and angered. Ohh! she give me this for you.." Mei said as she held out a envelope.

Snake took the cigarette out of his mouth to open the envelope that made a strange metalic sound. Hal saw Snake pull a small chain with two metal plates out.

"Dave, what's that?" Hal asked as he noticed his partner did nothing but stare into his hand.

"...It's...Meryl's dog-tags." Snake said quietly as he closed his hand around them and held them to his chest.

Snake turned to Mei. "Tell her...I understand."

Hal didn't like the sound of this at all. He knew Snake loved Meryl desperately; He had to go through alot of emotional pain and wouldn't share his hurt with Hal, who just tried to be supportive. Hal thought she was finally out of the way, he knew the way their minds worked.

He bet they were playing on each others characters and unspoken agreements. Hal wondered if she asked Mei to give them to him to see if he'd accept them.

_Was she trying to say that her identity was with him and that without him she is no-one?/ ohh why didn't Mei give them to me!!/I hope he doesn't still want her/I REALLY hope SHE doesn't still want him!/Have they made some kind of agreement?/...she wants him back I just know it.../She CANT want him after what hes done?!/For fuck sake hes in a relationship with ME now, WHY can't she leave him alone!!/ She's plotting to steal my man... _

Hal swallowed hard as he looked at his partner and the way he held the tags so dear.

"Ahhhh, I bet she's told everyone everything then?" Hal asked Mei.

"No, Only me." Mei answered.

"And her uncle?" Hal said on automatic as he stared at his partner walk off to the kitchen holding the tags.

"Not that she told me." Mei answered.

"Ohh Mei, theres alittle something I'd like you to do. I know you can't come with me on the mission like we planned, but,...I think Dave needs a little cheering up on this mission and I know how you can help, errr...without 'helping'." Hal said quietly.

"Sure, what do you need Hal?" Mei answered back just as quietly.

"Well, firstly - If Meryl wants to give anything to Dave please let me know. Secondly - you won't be there to help him with progress reports, so I'll have to do them myself as well.

I know how much he likes your chatter so I just want to have a look at any kind of information that you think may cheer him up, if you make up a a few pages or something...and I promise I won't take them, just look at them...ahhh...and memorize. Hal stammered.

"Ohh sure! I can do that just, don't take them as Dave isn't the only person who needs cheering up right now. Hey, is it true that you...and...Him...are...-" Mei started.

"Ahhh - yeah." Hal cut in.

"...Ahhh...well...hmmmmm...-" Mei was lost for words.

"Yeah-Yeah I know. it takes a while to get your head round it..." Hal tried not to blush while being glad he hasn't told anyone what their new address will be.

Snake walked back into the kitchen area as Mei walked over to him.

"Can I please speak to you alone?" Mei asked Snake.

Hal turned around right away. "Huh? Why do you need to talk to him alone?! What can you tell him that I can't hear?!" He said in a indignant and nearly argumentative tone.

"Don't worry Hal! It's just between me and him." Mei said in her normal sweet-as-sugar way.

_She better not be after him too._

Snake followed Mei into the bedroom as she walked behind him and shut the door. Mei walked over and sat on the edge of the bed and offered her hand out to Snake as he sat down beside her.

"Dave...Have you actually discovered you are gay?" Mei said quietly as she held his hand.

"NO! I - I'm not, I just...swing both ways...apparently...well I must, I mean, I'm...here with Hal." Snake said trying to stay quiet.

Mei looked confused for a moment but then she understood the whole situation clearly. She knew each of them personally and had a very good understanding of Snake. Mei realized how confused he must feel having developed feelings for Hal, another man.

Mei squeezed his hand. "Meryl loves you..."

Snake's eyes widened. "Did-did she say that?!" he said quickly stumbling on his words.

"Hmmmm not as such...but I know her! Dave, you were her first love, everything she knows about love and relationships she learned with you. You are a hard act to follow, no man could give her what you do...which is what she need. Did you think any man would measure up to you? she will probably always subconscious compare them to you." Mei continued in her thick Asian accent.

"..Mei, shes a beautiful young female blossoming into womanhood. The men will be queuing up for her attention, what am I? Just a killer she thought was a hero. I have nothing to offer her..." Snake said as he stared blankly at the floor.

"Maybe, but she loves you. Her only complaint before was when you used to patronize her." Mei said.

"What?! WHEN did I ever patronize her?!" Snake protested in a deep tone.

"When you used to 'talk to her af if she were a nine-year-old' and tell her things like 'Behave' and 'Good girl', She does mind it most the time, just not when you two are argue. And when you have to always correct her with weapons." Mei laughed as she recalled Meryl telling her.

Snake looked at Mei in shock "Hold on...I've never done that! And I never said...-"

_Suddenly before he could finish his sentence a image flashed through his head of when he was trying to fix the heating system._

* * *

_"...Seriously!-" she said as she picked up a pillow and threw it at Snakes back."-You should always listen to me! I know best!" She joked._

_"...Behave Meryl.." He joked as he turned to look at her. She grinned back at him leaning back with her legs spread kicking the end of the bed. _

_He also remembered when they were making love once. Meryl had been teasing him and wanted to play-fight but always picked totally random times for fighting or spitting on him. Meryl was laying on her back on the bed, Snake pulled her legs up so her knees were up by her face, he pressed down on her thighs as he drew close to his climax pushing in and out of her. He stood up on his knees moving his hips back and forth as Meryl stared at him, sometimes grinning unless the feelings over-powered her and she squeezed her eyes shut with a look of total bliss on her face as she loosely sucked the tip of her index finger. She knew her lover was about to cum from the speed he was going and the sounds he made. She knew everything about him after the intimate five months they had spend together._

_As he got the unmistakable tremoring he pulled out of his lover quickly and released over her lower stomach as he sighed. Meryl ran her index finger in small circles the small little pool on her tummy and then sucked on her finger before she sat up on her knees to suck her dazed lover's shaft._

_"Ahhhhh...hmmmm, good girl." he said in little more than a breath as he felt the warm afterglow that nearly made him fall over._

* * *

"David! Do not try to fool me! you know I will not tolerate! I know you love her...but I also know you love Hal. I understand this." Mei said in a supporting tone. "-But this is a great loss to me as I had much a crush on him.." she added with a girlish giggle.

"Who Hal?" Snake replied.

"Ahh uhh." Mei nodded playfully.

"hehe...That's cute." Snake grunted.

"Dave...Time heals all wounds. Give each other the time. I had the same talk to her, even though you were the one who cheat, so you are the one who will have to wait and see the longest. You deserve her anger, don't forget that." she added as she held out both arms offering to hug him.

Snake lent forward and hugged his friend, buring his face in her neck as she patted his back.

Meanwhile Hal was on the phone to Jack (Raiden).

"Yea...I want you to think of some way to get those Dog-tags off my partner, I'll pay you!!...-"

* * *

The evening before the day of the mission and everything was falling into place.

Snake decided he didn't want Hal stressing over a cooker, so he reserved them two seats at a local restaurant to unwind before they embarked on their carefully planned mission the next day.

"I can't believe you organized all this!!...and I didn't even know!" Hal said as he sat down excited and completely in love.

"Well, I didn't want you making one of your three-course meals and having to face two sinks of dish-washing. You work so hard and do so much that I think this is hardly enough." Snake said.

"You're so thoughtful! I love it thank you!" Hal said as he stared at his lover longingly.

"You're welcome, though tonight you have to have a early night as we need to be up and ready eight hours before start time." Snake said as he looked through his menu.

"Dave...how can I ever get a early night sleeping next to you?! I was supposed to get a early night last night, but as soon as you get into bed all I want to do is have sex...I can't help it." Hal said.

"You'll get over it.." Snake replied.

"No way! this is not a 'honeymoon period' I've been like this since we re-met for the convention in New York."

"Aww...and you still fancy me?" Snake asked with a grin.

"!!...I MORE then fancy you! I just can't get enough.." Hal said quietly as he peeked over his menu.

"Well, that sounds good. It also sounds accurate as you fuck like no-ones business and can't seem to get enough up in your ass." Snake added casually.

"Okay answer one - why, Thank you." Hal said comically while pretending to bow. "-...Answer two - Ahhh yeah, because it feels good! It was really intense when I came acouple of times last night."

Snake raised his eyebrow. "...Acouple? it that even possible for a guy? like women can?"

"Yeah.." Hal said casually as he checked his phone.

"But, if that was so, wouldn't it be like - in the news or something?" Snake grunted.

"Dave, everyone knows about it, but its only really something that guys who 'like it up their ass' can do." Hal said quietly while smiling.

"Okay, I have to hear this one..." Snake replied.

"Well, you know when I showed you how to finger me...-" Hal stopped mid-sentence as a old women turned her head and stared at him as she passed with her husband.

"Hmm, maybe we should save the 'Improve our sex-lives' conversation for home." Snake joked.

Hal coughed. "--...Ahhh, yeah, if you do it like that with your finger bent slightly in that way, you can have a prostate orgasm, though you don't tend to ejaculate.

It takes practice, and to practice you have to hold off cuming if you can, it's really hard to do, but sometimes you can cum twice." he added.

"Hmmm I think I'll stick to the good old fashioned way, it's more fun." Snake grinned.

"Ahh, now that's just the thing, you're typically male. You'll do the whole thing, all the stages of arousal, doing things that excite you or that you think will make your partner feel good, right up to the point you can't hold it back any more. You'll cum then lose all your strength, stamina and will to do anything, and promptly pass out...-" Hal replied.

"...Okaaay, you're starting to make me sound real 'good' here..." Snake said while looking around.

"hmm what I mean is, you'll only have those side effects if you ejaculate, which is exactly the way nature wants you to behave, though some guys get sleepier then others...or so Ive heard, I only know you...though, you get the 'sleepy' real bad Dave.." Hal added while trying not to laugh at Snake's visual confusion.

"So, when will I know when you're sneaking a orgasm then?" Snake asked comically.

"It's not sneaking.." Hal said shaking his head before he pushed back up his glasses. "And anyway, you always know when I've cum, not counting when I cum doing the whole thing which you can see. Well you can look it up online you'll read all about it. Though you've seen me cum enough times...-"

"You mean heard you enough times?" Snake countered smiling.

"Ahhhh, you can talk! in fact you do talk too." Hal giggled.

"...Talk?! No I don't." Snake said feeling unselfconscious.

"Ahhhh, you do - You talk, moan, heavy-breath, grunt a lot and generally make a racket..." Hal grinned widely as he fluttered his eyes at his partner..

"All untrue, I don't know where you get your intelligence.." Snake said obviously laughing as he spoke.

"But I love all the stuff you do...especially the stuff you do to me.." Hal said as he reached out for his partners hands.

"Ohh? got any favorites'?" he replied.

"Oohhh where do I start?! You do some amazing things with your tongue...-" Hal started but stopped as he noticed the old woman staring disgustedly at him from a near-by table.

"I think you have a fan.." Snake whispered in his husky voice as he kissed the air.

"Dave, I think she's a stalker...!!" Hal whispered, pretending to sound desperate. "..You don't think she wants to fuck me do you..?!"

"Hehe. Everyone wants to fuck you Hal - me included." Snake said in a low tone.

"Well, I'm happy for as long as you want to! I have no idea what everyone else sees in me." Hal said as he shook his head.

"I think it's because your talented and friendly, though your Amish good-looks do help, you could probably fuck your way around the office." Snake replied as he signaled the waiter over.

"You see, that wouldn't even occur to me! And I worry a little that it occurred to you.." Hal giggled.

* * *

The Evening was going to plan, except for the fact the whole day had been grey and a rainstorm was forecast for the night.

Last night they went out to have a meal together to unwind before they got home and sat down to a movie. They didn't see the end due to Snake's amorous advances. They ended up making love on the sofa and woke up in the early hours and headed to their new large double bed. Life seemed to settle down to a nice routine.

Hal wanted Snake to have some kind of structure to his home life, so he would make sure they had at lest one sit down meal a day, a designated 'wash day' for laundry, a grocery shopping day using from a laminated list Hal kept which he would tick when something ran out, a day they would spend doing something together and so on. He was also trying to ween his partner off cigarettes and binge alcohol, but was always careful never to nag him or encroach in his personal space if he was feeling a little low.

Hal woke up and he reached for his glasses to look at his clock. it was five in the morning. He looked out the window to see and very grey day and saw that it had rained over night.

He turned to see Snake asleep beside him, he had learned from Meryl that if Snake was sleeping it was best not to wake him up, but he would normally wake up even if Hal climbed out of bed or kissed him.

As he climbed out of bed and grabbed his pajama-bottoms, he heard Snake's sleepy voice. "Morning Hal."

"Morning! my love." Hal said as he lent down to kiss his partner.

"I guess I better get up and shower...though I'd love to stay in bed. Did Natasha send over the gear?" Snake asked as he cleared his throat.

"Yes, someone dropped it all off here from the office, I've been through your equips, I'll explain them all later, But, your going to love your new gun. I told her I didn't want you having to scavenging on-site." Hal replied as he ran a bath.

Snake threw the covers off himself and rubbed his eyes. Hal walked in and looked at his naked lover sitting on the side of the bed.

"Do you always wake-up so - ready for action?" Hal said as he pointed between his lover's legs.

"Uhh? Yeah, I'm always hard in the morning." Snake casually replied.

"Nice..." Hal smiled as he walked over to make coffee.

Snake stared at Hal who was topless, turning up some music in their warm apartment. Snake walked up behind Hal and put his arms around his waist.

"You're so thin, I worry you don't eat enough." Snake said as he held Hal close and looked at his stick-thin arms.

"Don't worry I do eat enough, and now that I have you taking care of me...everything's perfect! Hal replied as he made some toasted muffins for them.

After his breakfast and shower, Snake dried himself off and got his sneak suit together with any of the equips he may need. After going through most of the plan, they set off to head to the bridge.

Hal was driving towards the bridge as the first few new spots of rain started to obscure the windscreen. As he turned the wipers on he saw Snake psyching himself up for the task at hand, which they had carefully planned for so long. Hal went out with his partner the night before to try and relax before today's action. Hal worried deeply for his partner and the anxiety nearly made him start to feel ill.

Hal suddenly swerved off the road to park by the side.

"Damn! it looks like another heavy fucking rain storm!" Hal cursed with real irritation and conviction.

"Hal, whats wrong?" Snake asked in a unusually comforting voice as he saw Hal drop his head into his folded arms resting on the stirring wheel.

"Everything. I'm worried about you and this fucking weather is a bad sign, I mean, it wasn't even forecast!" Hal said angrily.

"Everything's going to be okay Hal...trust me." Snake assured Hal as he rubbed his back. He knew that his partner nearly never used bad-language, so he knew how he must be feeling.

"The...the rain may short out the stealth-camo...I wanted you to have that for a backup." Hal said quietly.

"I'm certain it won't, don't worry. I'm not relying on it anyway." Snake said as he tied his bandanna to his head quickly and reached for a rain-cover coat.

Hal saw some glinting on his partners chest. he reach over to hold the glinting metal.

"...Meryl's Dog-tags..?! Do you still love her?" Hal said, as if it were the final blow on his nerves.

"They're for good luck and anyway, I've had enough of tomboys." Snake said as he checked the wires on his suit and lent over and kissed Hal passionately.

As Snake pulled away from their kiss and opened the car door Hal grabbed his arm. "I love you...please just remember that."

"How could I ever forget? I'll be home with you before you even know it." Snake replied.

"Okay, finally. We have forty minutes til you make this jump everyone seems to be waiting to see..-" Hal started.

"You just watch...I'm AM actually going to do it..." Snake grinned.

"Okay-okay just please, please be careful. I want you to to first go up to the top level of the infrastructure, to the bridge to find where its headed. TRY to avoid confrontations..-" Hal continued.

"Hal, you sound seriously monotone, I know this is stressing you out but its going to be okay.." Snake added.

"Ahhh...I was going to go through your weapons with you but I didn't have the time, the one that needs most explanation is this one...a converted Beretta M92F, curtacy of myself and Natasha - " Hal explained trying to block everything else from his mind.

"Thank you Hal, and I'll thank her too when we're done." Snake grinned.

"Ahhh don't thank us yet, it is a little hard to work with because you'll have to reload after every shot...but I'll remind you of everything later..But it is suppressed and lazer sighted, remember the slide locks." Hal added as he flipped open his laptop to check his codec readouts.

The rain started to fall heavily as Snake lent over to kiss his anxious partner one last time.

"Ohh last thing! I'm on frequency 141.12, check it before you step on the main bridge." Hal answered nervously.

Snake got out of the car and slammed the door shut as he started to walk toward the turn-off leading to the main bridge.

"Ok, Otacon are you picking this up?" He said as he searched for his cigarettes.

"Loud and clear Snake. I'll stay here in the car til you land on the tanker, I'm not leaving for the Varresano Bridge til I know your safe." Hal added trying to stop the emotion breaking his voice.

Hal saw in the distance there was another car parked by the entrance to the main bridge. A figure got out and started to walk towards the bridge.

Snake towards the bridge entrance and the smaller figure did the same. Hal watched nervously from the car.

The smaller figure stood in front of Snake in the heavy rain.

"...David..."

"Huh?" Snake said as he pulled off the hood of the person in front of him to see Meryl standing there.

"Meryl?!" Snake exclaimed in a subconsciously pleasant shock as he felt his heartbeat pick up slightly.

"Hmmm yes, Did you...get what I sent?" Meryl asked in a calm voice which she tried to pick emotionless.

Snake opened the top of his rain-cover and pulled the Dog tags out from inside his sneak-suit. "Right here..."

Hal stared out from the car side window, his eyes opened with potential horror.

**_SHIT! It's Meryl! _**

Hal looked at his partners vital signs on his laptop and wasn't liking his biological responses, particularly his heart rhythm. Hal couldn't see who the driver of Meryl's car was due to the blacked out windows, but he got out of the car into the rain wondering if he should walk over and break it up.

"Meryl...why didn't you speak to me? I tried contacting every mutual friend we have and you told them all you weren't talking to me." Snake asked as his voice wavered slightly.

"Put yourself in my position..." Meryl said quietly.

Hal was standing outside his car, his clothes and his hair was soaked through by rain as he watched his partner while glancing at his watch.

"I understand, and if it were me I probably would have reacted far stronger then you BUT, I would not have said the kind of things you told some people." Snake answered.

"Trust me...you deserve it. I can't forgive what you've done." She said as she looked down.

Meryl reached for his hand and he intitally shunned it. "Why are you waring my tags?" she asked.

"I...can't explain." Snake answered.

"Good Luck Dave, you can do this.." Meryl said, about to turn away and head back to her car.

Snake reached for her hand and cupped it in his. "Will you speak to me later?" he asked in his usual deep tone as he saw the door open of the car she stepped out of in the distance.

"...Maybe..." She said as she pulled her hood back on and started to run to her car.

The rain poured down heavily as Snake watched the car drive off. He nervously pulled a cigarette out and managed to light it. He slowly walked over the enterance and down the main bridge.

Hal got back into the car and dried his hair off with a towel while looking at the information on his laptop.

Snake could see the tanker in the background further down the river.

He started his long walk down the bridge.

fin

**Readers Notes! (Please read and Review!)**

**Hiya everyone!**

**I hope you enjoyed the story :) though I am making a very short comedy spin-off story awhile down the line. people kept msg'ing me over making one so I will.**

**Thankyou for all the msgs during the story! it really gave me the inperation to make a better story :) I'm also taking on request stories aswell, though I have yet to list the anime and games I'll do them on.**


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